The Russian national football team revealed an expanded roster through its official Telegram channel, outlining the players summoned for upcoming friendlies as part of an early-spring preparation slate. The disclosure details the squad set to represent the federation in friendly matches, with the emphasis on building cohesion and evaluating emerging talent ahead of a busy international window.
Goalkeepers: Matvey Safonov, Ilya Lantratov, Andrey Lunev, Alexander Maksimenko.
Defenders: Sergei Volkov, Arsen Adamov, Vyacheslav Karavaev, Daniil Khlusevich, Igor Diveev, Dmitry Chistyakov, Maxim Osipenko, Alexander Soldatenkov, Yuri Gorshkov, Alexander Silyanov, Evgeniy Morozov, Evgeniy Kharin, Dmitry Skopintsev.
Midfielders: Daler Kuzyaev, Dmitry Barinov, Anton Miranchuk, Sergey Pinyaev, Maxim Glushenkov, Artem Karpukas, Danil Glebov, Alexander Chernikov, Nikita Krivtsov, Danil Prutsev, Anton Zinkovsky, Ivan Oblyakov, Alexander Golovin, Andrey Mostovoy, Alexey Miranchuk, Daniil Fomin, Arsen Zaharyan.
Forwards: Fedor Chalov, Alexander Sobolev, Ivan Sergeev, Konstantin Tyukavin.
The gathering is slated to begin in Novogorsk on March 14 as part of a structured spring program designed to sharpen tactical understanding and broaden depth across all positions. The camp provides coaches with a critical period to assess current form, fitness, and compatibility with the national team’s tactical concepts, ensuring selections align with the strategic plan for the forthcoming calendar of friendlies and regional fixtures.
In a broader historical context, the national team endured a significant disruption when FIFA and UEFA suspended participation in sanctioned competitions for Russian clubs and the national side in 2022. That action halted competitive appearances on the world stage and left a notable gap in high-stakes matches that influenced preparation for subsequent campaigns. As a result, the team missed the 2022 World Cup play-offs and will also remain absent from the upcoming European Championship, shaping a narrative focused on rebuilding and adjustment in the ensuing years.
Looking ahead to March, Valery Karpin’s squad is scheduled for two friendlies as part of a restorative international rhythm. The team is set to face Serbia on March 21 and Paraguay on March 25, with both matches hosted in Moscow. These fixtures present a key opportunity for players to demonstrate readiness, for coaches to experiment with formations and personnel, and for fans to monitor the evolution of a squad aiming to regain competitive momentum after a period away from major tournament action.
Speculation and pre-match chatter have circulated around the program, including media talk about ceremonial moments surrounding the bouts. Local reports mentioned that a foreign singer would perform the song “Katyusha” before one of the games, a detail illustrating how sport and national symbolism often intersect in international football settings. Information from official federation channels remains the primary source for squad updates and match specifics, complemented by press briefings and formal communications from the federation. [Citation: Federation communications, 2022; international football federation summaries]