Former Russian national football team player Dmitry Bulykin emphasized that the national team would not lose its identity at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and expressed his desire for the team to play against strong national teams as soon as possible. He shared this in an interview with the online publication "Euro-Football.Ru."
"We will never lose our identity. The only question is whether we advance from the group stage or not.
Of course, it is good to compete against teams that qualify for the World Cup. However, I want to see our team, in 2026, playing against strong national teams that will contend for the championship.
But, for now, this is not very realistic," Bulykin said. In 2025, the Russian national team played several matches against teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup finals.
In October, the national team defeated Iran 2–1. However, it suffered a significant defeat against Bolivia, which will compete in the playoff to qualify for the tournament set to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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