The former head coach of the Russian youth team, Valery Gladilin, spoke about the absence of many key players in the national team due to injuries. He noted that the squad was missing Alexander Golovin, Alexei Miranchuk, Georgy Jikia, and Igor Diveev during the friendly against Iran. Yet he also framed the result as a valuable learning moment for younger players and a clearer glimpse of the team’s evolving core for coaches and fans alike.
Three players were clearly missed, including Golovin and Miranchuk, with Jikia also unavailable. These are widely regarded as top-tier contributors. Had they been on the field, the lineup would have looked considerably more solid and balanced, forming a familiar backbone through which the team could build. Even with their absence, the observers could see how the current players were being evaluated and shaped. Gladilin appreciated the first half, noting that the coaching staff, led by Karpin, was actively observing the squad’s movements. The forward option, two wingers, and a midline featuring three experienced midfielders suggested a deliberate attempt to fuse attack with defensive reliability. Players like Miranchuk, Kuzyaev, and Glebov bring a wealth of seasoning to the midfield, and their presence lends stability and strategic options when the team is on the road and pressed defensively.
Had Jikia been available, the defense would have possessed greater solidity and flexibility. Diveev being injured only underscored the value of players who have already traversed the rigors of the national team’s training and international exposure. There are not many players who stand out as true superstars, and the work continues as Karpin evaluates what has emerged in this period. For the younger squad members, the match proved instructive because they faced a strong opponent in Iran, a side with several players competing in prominent foreign leagues. The experience offered practical lessons about pace, organization, and duel engagement that will feed into future selections. According to Gladilin, the lesson from this clash is clear: real growth comes from challenging tests and steady evaluation under pressure, which helps the youth adapt to higher levels of competition.
The Tehran encounter concluded in a 1-1 draw, with both goals coming from penalties. Anton Miranchuk converted for Russia, while Mehdi Taremi found the net for Iran. Looking ahead, the Russian team is scheduled to host Iraq in St. Petersburg, a fixture that will further reveal the depth of the squad and how the coaching staff plans to rotate players while maintaining competitiveness. The overall sentiment from the analysis is that the match served as a practical platform to assess readiness, reinforce tactical concepts, and identify areas for development as the team moves toward tougher tests on the horizon.
Valery Gladilin offered praise for the Iran national team, recognizing their quality and the level of competition they presented in the match against Russia. He stressed that the experience gained from these kinds of games helps both the selectors and the players refine the approach, align expectations, and foster a more robust pool of options for future international duties. The ongoing process of evaluation and improvement is central to building a resilient national squad that can compete consistently on the world stage.