Russia at the FIFA World Cup explained

Russia has participated in 4 FIFA World Cups since its independence in December 1991. The Russian Federation played their first international match against Mexico on 16 August 1992, winning 2–0.^[1] Their first participation in a World Cup was in the United States in 1994 where they achieved 18th place.

In 1946, the Soviet Union was accepted by FIFA and entered their first World Cup in Sweden 1958. The Soviet Union national football team played in 7 World Cups. Their best performance was reaching fourth place in England 1966. The USSR was dissolved in 1991 when Belarus, Russia and Ukraine declared independence under the Belavezha Accords, along with Georgia. The CIS national football team (Commonwealth of Independent States) was formed with other independent nations in 1992 for the purpose of competing in UEFA Euro 1992. Russia was recognized as the official successor of the Soviet Union by FIFA and inherited the records of the Soviet Union.

Russia most recently qualified for the 2018 edition as hosts. They were banned from the 2022 edition during qualification. The last time Russia failed to qualify after a full qualification round was in 2010.

Overview

History

Champions   Runners-up   Third place  

FIFA World Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position														Campaign
as										as
1930	Not a FIFA member	Not a FIFA member						—
1934	1934
1938	1938
1950	Did not enter	Did not enter						1950
1954	1954
1958	Quarter-finals	6th	5	2	1	2	5	6		5	4	0	1	18	3	1958
1962		6th	4	2	1	1	9	7		4	4	0	0	11	3	1962
1966	Fourth place	4th	6	4	0	2	10	6		6	5	0	1	19	6	1966
1970	Quarter-finals	5th	4	2	1	1	6	2		4	3	1	0	8	1	1970
1974	Did not qualify	6	3	1	2	5	4	1974
1978	4	2	0	2	5	3	1978
1982	Second group stage	7th	5	2	2	1	7	4		8	6	2	0	20	2	1982
1986	Round of 16	10th	4	2	1	1	12	5		8	4	2	2	13	8	1986
1990	Group stage	17th	3	1	0	2	4	4		8	4	3	1	11	4	1990
as										as
1994	Group stage	18th	3	1	0	2	7	6		8	5	2	1	15	4	1994
1998	Did not qualify									8	5	2	1	19	5	1998
2002	Group stage	22nd	3	1	0	2	4	4		10	7	2	1	18	5	2002
2006	Did not qualify	12	6	5	1	23	12	2006
2010	10	7	1	2	19	6	2010
2014	Group stage	24th	3	0	2	1	2	3		10	7	1	2	20	5	2014
2018	Quarter-finals	8th	5	2	2	1	11	7		Qualified as hosts						2018
2022	Banned during qualification									10	7	1	2	19	6	2022
2026	To be determined	To be determined	2026
2030	2030
2034	2034
Total	Fourth place	11/25	45	19	10	16	77	54		125	80	24	21	246	81	Total

• Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out

Russia's World Cup record
First Match	Soviet Union 2–2 (8 June 1958; Gothenburg, Sweden)
Biggest Win	Soviet Union 6–0 (2 June 1986; Irapuato, Mexico)
Biggest Defeat	3–0 (25 June 2018; Samara, Russia)
Best Result	Fourth place in 1966
Worst Result	Group stage in 1990, 1994, 2002 and 2014

Record vs

As Soviet Union

FIFA World Cup matches (by team)
Against	Wins	Draws	Losses	Total	GS	GA	GD
	0	0	1	1	0	2	–2
	1	0	0	1	2	0	+2
	2	0	1	3	8	5	+3
	0	0	2	2	1	4	–3
	1	0	0	1	4	0	+4
	1	0	0	1	2	0	+2
	1	0	1	2	3	3	0
	0	1	0	1	4	4	0
	1	0	0	1	2	0	+2
	1	1	0	2	3	2	+1
	0	1	0	1	1	1	0
	2	0	0	2	8	1	+7
	1	0	0	1	1	0	+1
	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
	1	0	0	1	3	0	+3
	1	0	0	1	3	0	+3
	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
	0	0	1	1	1	2	–1
	0	0	1	1	0	2	–2
	0	1	0	1	2	2	0
	0	0	1	1	0	2	–2
	1	0	1	2	2	2	0
	0	0	1	1	1	2	–1
	1	0	0	1	2	0	+2
TOTAL	15	6	10	31	55	34	+19

As Russia

FIFA World Cup matches (By team)
Against	Wins	Draws	Losses	Total	GS	GA	GD
	0	1	0	1	1	1	0
	0	0	2	2	2	4	–2
	0	0	1	1	0	2	–2
	1	0	0	1	6	1	+5
	0	1	0	1	2	2	0
	1	0	0	1	3	1	+2
	0	0	1	1	1	0	+1
	1	0	0	1	5	0	+5
	0	1	0	1	1	1	0
	0	1	0	1	1	1	0
	0	0	1	1	1	3	–2
	1	0	0	1	2	0	+2
	0	0	1	1	0	3	–3
TOTAL	4	4	6	14	25	22	+3

Last update 8 July 2018

Soviet Union in Sweden 1958

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
	3	2	1	0	5	0	∞	5
	3	1	1	1	4	4	1.00	3
	3	0	3	0	4	4	1.00	3
	3	0	1	2	2	7	0.28	1

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Group play-off

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Quarter-final

Soviet Union in Chile 1962

width=165	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=20	GAv	width=20	Pts
	3	2	1	0	8	5	1.60	5
	3	2	0	1	8	3	2.67	4
	3	1	0	2	4	6	0.67	2
	3	0	1	2	5	11	0.45	1

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Quarter-final

Soviet Union in England 1966

width=165	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=20	GAv	width=20	Pts
	3	3	0	0	6	1	6.00	6
	3	1	1	1	2	4	0.50	3
	3	1	0	2	2	2	1.00	2
	3	0	1	2	2	5	0.40	1

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Quarter-final

----

Semi-final

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Bronze Final

Soviet Union in Mexico 1970

width=165	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=20	GD	width=20	Pts
	3	2	1	0	6	1	+5	5
	3	2	1	0	5	0	+5	5
	3	1	0	2	4	5	–1	2
	3	0	0	3	0	9	–9	0

------------

Quarter-final

Soviet Union in Spain 1982

width=150	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=23	GD	width=20	Pts
	3	3	0	0	10	2	+8	6
	3	1	1	1	6	4	+2	3
	3	1	1	1	8	8	0	3
	3	0	0	3	2	12	–10	0

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Second round Group A

width=150	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=20	GD	width=20	Pts
	2	1	1	0	3	0	+3	3
	2	1	1	0	1	0	+1	3
	2	0	0	2	0	4	–4	0

----

Soviet Union in Mexico 1986

width=150	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=20	GD	width=20	Pts
	3	2	1	0	9	1	+8	5
	3	2	1	0	5	1	+4	5
	3	1	0	2	2	9	–7	2
	3	0	0	3	0	5	–5	0

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Round of 16

Soviet Union in Italy 1990

width=150	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=20	GD	width=20	Pts
	3	2	0	1	3	5	–2	4
	3	1	1	1	4	3	+1	3
	3	1	1	1	3	2	+1	3
	3	1	0	2	4	4	0	2

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Russia in the USA 1994

width=150	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=20	GD	width=20	Pts
	3	2	1	0	6	1	+5	7
	3	1	2	0	6	4	+2	5
	3	1	0	2	7	6	+1	3
	3	0	1	2	3	11	–8	1

--------

Russia in South Korea/Japan 2002

width=150	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=20	GD	width=20	Pts
	3	2	1	0	5	2	+3	7
	3	1	2	0	6	5	+1	5
	3	1	0	2	4	4	0	3
	3	0	1	2	1	5	–4	1

--------

Russia in Brazil 2014

See main article: 2014 FIFA World Cup Group H.

Russia vs South Korea

This was the first time the two countries have played each other in the FIFA World Cup, though they did play a friendly in 2013, which Russia won 2–1. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with both goals being in the second half.

GK 1 Igor Akinfeev RB 22 Andrey Yeshchenko CB 4 Sergei Ignashevich CB 14 Vasili Berezutski (c) LB 23 Dmitri Kombarov DM 8 CM 20 Viktor Fayzulin CM 18 RW 19 Aleksandr Samedov LW 17 CF 9 Aleksandr Kokorin Substitutions: MF 10 FW 11 MF 7 Manager: Fabio Capello

GK 1 Jung Sung-ryong RB 12 Lee Yong CB 5 Kim Young-gwon CB 20 LB 3 Yun Suk-young RM 17 Lee Chung-yong CM 14 Han Kook-young CM 16 LM 9 CF 10 CF 13 Koo Ja-cheol (c) Substitutions: FW 11 DF 6 MF 7 Manager: Hong Myung-bo

Man of the Match: Son Heung-min (South Korea) Assistant referees Hernán Maidana (Argentina) Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina) Fourth official Roberto Moreno (Panama) Fifth official Eric Boria (United States)

Belgium vs Russia

GK 1 Thibaut Courtois RB 2 CB 15 Daniel Van Buyten CB 4 Vincent Kompany (c) LB 3 CM 6 CM 8 Marouane Fellaini RW 14 AM 7 Kevin De Bruyne LW 10 Eden Hazard CF 9 Substitutions: DF 5 FW 17 FW 11 Manager: Marc Wilmots

GK 1 Igor Akinfeev RB 2 CB 14 Vasili Berezutski (c) CB 4 Sergei Ignashevich LB 23 Dmitri Kombarov DM 8 CM 20 Viktor Fayzulin RW 19 AM 6 Maksim Kanunnikov LW 17 CF 9 Aleksandr Kokorin Substitutions: DF 22 MF 10 FW 11 Manager: Fabio Capello

Man of the Match: Eden Hazard (Belgium) Assistant referees Mark Borsch (Germany) Stefan Lupp (Germany) Fourth official Carlos Vera (Ecuador) Fifth official Byron Romero (Ecuador)

Algeria vs Russia

width=25 ! width=25 GK 23 Raïs M'Bolhi RB 20 Aïssa Mandi CB 4 Essaïd Belkalem CB 5 Rafik Halliche (c) LB 6 CM 12 Carl Medjani CM 14 Nabil Bentaleb RW 10 Sofiane Feghouli AM 11 LW 18 CF 13 Substitutions: MF 7 FW 9 FW 15 Other disciplinary actions: DF 17 Manager: Vahid Halilhodžić

GK 1 Igor Akinfeev RB 2 CB 14 Vasili Berezutski (c) CB 4 Sergei Ignashevich LB 23 CM 8 CM 20 Viktor Fayzulin RW 19 Aleksandr Samedov AM 9 Aleksandr Kokorin LW 17 CF 11 Substitutions: MF 7 MF 10 FW 6 Manager: Fabio Capello

Man of the Match: Islam Slimani (Algeria) Assistant referees Bahattin Duran (Turkey) Tarık Ongun (Turkey) Fourth official Joel Aguilar (El Salvador) Fifth official Juan Zumba (El Salvador)

Russia in Russia 2018

See main article: 2018 FIFA World Cup Group A.

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Knockout stage

Round of sixteen----

Quarter-finals

Record players

Russia's record World Cup player is Dynamo Moscow legend Lev Yashin. The 1958 FIFA World Cup in particular, which was the first one to be widely broadcast on television, had a major part in introducing Yashin's active and demanding goalkeeping style to the world at large. FIFA have established him as the best goalkeeper of the 20th century by repeatedly naming him in all-star teams like the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002.

Rank	Player	Matches	World Cups
1	Lev Yashin	13	1958, 1962 and 1966
2	Volodymyr Bezsonov	10	1982, 1986 and 1990
3	Valentin Ivanov	9	1958 and 1962
Valery Voronin	9	1962 and 1966
Albert Shesternyov	9	1966 and 1970
Rinat Dasayev	9	1982, 1986 and 1990
Anatoliy Demyanenko	9	1982, 1986 and 1990
Oleh Kuznetsov	9	1986 and 1990
9	Igor Akinfeev	8	2014 and 2018
Sergei Ignashevich	8	2014 and 2018
Aleksandr Samedov	8	2014 and 2018

Top goalscorers

Russia's top goalscorers at the FIFA World Cup, Valentin Ivanov and Oleg Salenko, have won a Golden Boot award each. Salenko is the only player who has ever scored five goals in a single World Cup match, and the only player to win the Golden Boot even though his team was eliminated in the group stage.

Rank	Player	Goals	World Cups
1	Oleg Salenko	6	1994
2	Valentin Ivanov	5	1958 (1) and 1962 (4)
3	Igor Chislenko	4	1962 (2) and 1966 (2)
Valeriy Porkuyan	4	1966
Anatoliy Byshovets	4	1970
Igor Belanov	4	1986
Denis Cheryshev	4	2018
8	Eduard Malofeyev	3	1966
Artem Dzyuba	3	2018
10	Aleksandr Ivanov	2	1958
Viktor Ponedelnik	2	1962
Oleh Blokhin	2	1982 and 1986
Oleksandr Zavarov	2	1986 and 1990

See also

• Russia at the FIFA Confederations Cup
• Russia at the UEFA European Championship

References

• Article in EU-Football

Notes and References

1. https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=9723 Article in eu-football.info Mexico on 16th August, 1992 winning 2–0.