The key facts

  • Karpin: as a child he dreamed of becoming a hockey player, then switched to football
  • In November the Russia national team will play Uzbekistan in Tashkent and Venezuela in Krasnodar
  • Russian teams have been suspended from FIFA and UEFA tournaments since February 2022

A childhood dream — hockey

Russia national team head coach Valery Karpin told Match TV in an interview that as a child he dreamed of a sports career, initially connected with hockey. “I had a dream of becoming an athlete, I wanted to be a hockey player, then I switched to football,” the publication quotes the coach. According to him, the paths of professional athletes after the end of their careers can turn out completely differently: “when you finish, it is already a matter of chance whether you stay in sport or do something else.”

November matches of the national team

During the upcoming November break, the Russia national team will play two games: on 12 November in Tashkent the team will face Uzbekistan, and on 17 November in Krasnodar — Venezuela.

Context of the suspension

Russian clubs and national teams have been suspended from tournaments under the auspices of FIFA and UEFA since February 2022. On 2 February 2026, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that the ban on Russia had not produced the desired result, so the question of the return of Russian teams needed to be considered. However, The Times later reported that the FIFA Council does not intend to consider the issue of admitting the Russians due to fears of criticism from European countries. Earlier, Karpin did not rule out the Russia national team's participation in Euro 2028.