MOSCOW (AP) Russia’s national football team has a prominent critic ahead of the Confederations Cup – none other than Vladimir Putin.
The Russian president warns that ”fans and those who love Russian football expect better results from our national team,” which has won just three of its last 15 games.
Speaking two days before Russia faces New Zealand in the opening game of the Confederations Cup, a key World Cup warm-up event, Putin adds ”we’ll hope that the guys play with full commitment, like real warriors and athletes, to at least please the fans with their effort to win.