Manager: Fabio Capello Best finish: Group stages (1994 and 2002)
World Cup record: Played 9, Won 2, Drawn 2, Lost 5
History
Their World Cup story hasn't been a happy one since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Russia failing to qualify for three of the last four tournaments and not progressing past the group stage the two times they made it to the finals. They might fancy their chances in 2018, though, when, of course, they'll host.
Whiteboard
When you're the world's highest paid international manager, earning almost €10m per year, you'd want to get your tactics right. Capello is yet another to favour the 4-2-3-1 formation, the team built on a solid defence, that conceded just five goals in 10 qualifiers. Viktor Fayzulin IS handy for a goal or two from midfield, behind main striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov, but the loss of caotain Roman Shirokov to injury is s big blow.
All-Star - Alan Dzagoev
As he was at Euro 2012, Dzagoev could be Russia’s star again in Brazil – but first he has to convince Capello that he actually deserves to be in the team, having only featured in four of their 10 qualifiers. Injuries haven’t helped, but the 23-year-old playmaker has, it seems, yet to earn Capello’s trust. They could do with his guile, though, and some of that 2012 form.
County Colours - Meath
Once a super power but increasingly isolated these days.
Pundit's Corner – Marty Whelan: "Ah lads, stop booing them, the Ukraine invasion is hardly Fabio Capello's fault."
Prospects They beat Portugal to top spot in their qualifying group, winning all five home games. They were shakier on the road, losing to the Portuguese and Northern Ireland and drawing in Azerbaijan. Still, Capello will expect to have a happier time of it than he did with England last time around, their opening game in Group H against South Korea likely to be key. Belgium are a real threat, while Capello won't like the sight of Algeria again, but Russia could very well come out of the group. Germany could be lying in wait after that.
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: 1 Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), 12 Yury Lodygin (Zenit St Petersburg), 16 Sergey Ryzhikov (Rubin Kazan).
Defenders: 2 Alexey Kozlov (Dynamo Moscow), 3 Georgiy Schennikov (CSKA Moscow), 4 Sergey Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), 5 Andrey Semenov (Terek Grozny), 13 Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow), 14 Vasiliy Berezutskiy (CSKA Moscow), 22 Andrey Eschenko (Anzhi Makhachkala), 23 Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow).
Midfielders: 7 Igor Denisov (Dynamo Moscow), 8 Denis Glushakov (Spartak Moscow), 10 Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), 15 Pavel Mogilevets (Zenit St Petersburg), 17 Oleg Shatov (Zenit St Petersburg), 20 Viktor Faizulin (Zenit St Petersburg).
Forwards: 6 Maxim Kanunnikov (Amkar Perm), 9 Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow), 11 Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), 18 Yury Zhirkov (Dynamo Moscow), 19 Alexander Samedov (Lokomotiv Moscow), 21 Alexey Ionov (Dynamo Moscow).
TEAM LINE-UPS
RUSSIA (v South Korea): 1 Igor Akinfeev; 22 Andrey Eschenko, 14 Vasiliy Berezutskiy, 4 Sergey Ignashevich, 23 Dmitry Kombarov; 8 Denis Glushakov (7 Igor Denisov, 72 mins); 19 Alexander Samedov, 17 Oleg Shatov (yc) (10 Alan Dzagoev, 59 mins), 20 Viktor Faizulin, 18 Yury Zhirkov (11 Alexander Kerzhakov, 71 mins); 9 Alexander Kokorin.
RUSSIA (v Belgium): 1 Igor Akinfeev; 2 Alexey Kozlov (22 Andrey Eschenko, 62 mins), 14 Vasiliy Berezutskiy, 8 Denis Glushakov (yc), 4 Sergey Ignashevich, 23 Dmitry Kombarov; 20 Viktor Faizulin; 19 Alexander Samedov (11 Alexander Kerzhakov, 90 mins), 6 Maxim Kanunnikov, 17 Oleg Shatov (10 Alan Dzagoev, 83 mins); 9 Alexander Kokorin.
RUSSIA (v Algeria): 1 Igor Akinfeev; 2 Alexey Kozlov (yc), 14 Vasiliy Berezutskiy, 4 Sergey Ignashevich, 23 Dmitry Kombarov (yc); 8 Denis Glushakov (7 Igor Denisov, half-time), 20 Viktor Faizulin; 19 Alexander Samedov, 9 Alexander Kokorin, 17 Oleg Shatov (10 Alan Dzagoev, 67 mins); 11 Alexander Kerzhakov (6 Maxim Kanunnikov, 81 mins).
