History
Russian national football team was formed in 1992 after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although they have failed to qualify for half of the World Cups (3 out of 6) since then, they have participated in each Euro Cup (except Euro 2000) and have become bronze medalists of the Euro 2008. Russia is hosting the next World Cup, thus this coming Euro is a perfect opportunity to try their hand before playing in front of their fans.
Road to Qualification
Russia played in Group G alongside Sweden, Austria, Montenegro, Liechtenstein, and Moldova. Despite Austria’s tremendous form during qualification (9 wins – 1 draw – 0 losses), Russia outplayed Zlatan’s Sweden to earn the second and last automatic promotion to the Euro group stage. With 4 games remaining, Russia was on the verge of finishing in the group 3rd, as they were 4 points behind Sweden. Nevertheless, showing great power of will and gathering their thoughts, they won each of the remaining games. Most importantly, the first one was a momentous victory over Sweden (1:0) on September 5, 2015.
How to cite this page: “Russia: History”, Written by Alikhan Mukhamedi(2016). European Cup 2016 Guide, Soccer Politics Blog, Duke University, http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/tournament-guides/european-cup-2016-guide/underrated-teams-of-euro-2016/russia/russia-history/ (accessed on (date)).
