In reacting to the comments made by Aleksander Čeferin, the president of UEFA, Russian football figures have weighed in on the prospects for the national team and Russian clubs returning to European and world-stage competitions. Dmitry Svishchev, a deputy in the State Duma, expressed a clear sentiment: it may still be a long road before Russia’s teams can rejoin the international scene. He suggested that the conversation should be grounded in realism and patience, indicating that the broad path to reintegration would likely unfold only after major parameters are adjusted and settled. This stance signals a shift in how Russian football leadership views participation in events organized by UEFA and FIFA (Sports Express).
The broader context remains rooted in historic decisions: FIFA and UEFA took the step, in early 2022, to suspend Russia from all tournaments overseen by the two bodies. This move affected the country’s national squad as well as its clubs, marking a formal exit from the European and global competitions during that period. The consequences of that exclusion have been felt across domestic football as teams recalibrated, players sought new opportunities abroad, and fans watched from afar as schedules and allegiances shifted. The situation underscored the delicate balance between sport, governance, and geopolitics that governs international football in the modern era (Sports Express).
Looking back at the 2022 calendar, the Russian team faced a sparse slate of matches, with a handful of friendly games arranged against teams from Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Those contests represented more than mere fixtures; they were a signal of how Russia tried to maintain competitive rhythm even as its status in major governing bodies was in limbo. The last official match Russia played in World Cup qualifying occurred in November 2021, a narrow 0-1 defeat to Croatia that closed a chapter on the team’s pre-exclusion era and set the stage for a difficult period ahead for players and supporters alike (Sports Express).
Within Russian football circles, there has also been public commentary from those connected to the national game. For instance, voices associated with Zenit Saint Petersburg have coexisted with broader criticism and debate about the country’s player development and its international ambitions. In particular, remarks from former national team midfielder Vladislav Radimov about a current Dynamo Moscow player, Arsen Zakharyan, have sparked discussions about talent flow, form, and the perceived gap between domestic success and international eligibility. These exchanges highlight how internal assessments of talent and strategy continue to evolve, even when Russia remains outside the major European competitions (Sports Express).