Former national team coach Alexander Borodyuk analyzes the 1-1 draw and emphasizes that only matches against strong opponents reveal the true level of the team in isolation.
Recent years have been difficult for Russian football as a whole. Clubs are not participating in European competitions, and the national team is not playing in tournament matches, only friendly games, often against opponents of a significantly lower level. In this context, the match against Nigeria during the June training camp was a real gift for the Russians in terms of competitiveness. This view is shared by Alexander Borodyuk, the distinguished coach of Russia, who gave an exclusive interview.
On June 6, the Russian national team played against Nigeria (1-1). The match took place at Luzhniki Stadium in front of more than 45,000 spectators. The first such high-profile match in two years (after the match against Iran) aroused serious interest among fans and the entire football community.
Alexander Genrikhovich Borodyuk, who worked on the national team’s coaching staff for 10 years, analyzed the match against Nigeria, including its impact on Russia’s competitiveness.
«In the match against Nigeria, our national team faced a more balanced opponent in terms of speed and one-on-one play in every area of the field. This is a key difference from all the other weaker teams we have played. Against the backdrop of the African team, it is important to note some pros and cons»
Borodyuk openly states that many of the teams that the Russian national team had to play against in isolation are weak. It should be emphasized that the African team immediately stands out for its high-level players. For example, Nigeria’s attack is led by Victor Boniface, who was a key player for Bayer Leverkusen last season and helped them achieve their long-awaited victory in the German championship. Raphael Onyedika plays in midfield for the seemingly modest Club Brugge, which, however, made a splash in the last Champions League, reaching the round of 16.
Even without stars such as Osimhen and Lukman, who did not travel to Russia, Nigeria has retained the key aspects of quality football, which Borodyuk emphasizes above all else.
«When facing opponents such as Brunei, Grenada, Vietnam, Cuba, and Belarus, there is no point in drawing certain conclusions, as these teams are significantly weaker. It is only natural that they conceded many goals to our national team»
It is worth remembering how much these national teams have conceded, and the score is often difficult to call football, as is the background of the countries listed. 11-0 in November against Brunei, 5 unanswered goals against Grenada, 8 goals scored in the match against Cuba. Only Vietnam managed to stand out here, but it was also a crushing defeat – 3-0.
If we take into account the 2025 calendar year, in March the Russians hosted another African team – Zambia. The only comparison with Nigeria is geographical: throughout their history, the Zambians have struggled to even qualify for the continental championship, the African Cup of Nations. There is no point in talking about a high level of play, because the Russian team inflicted another crushing defeat in the last three years, 5-0.
«I would mention only three teams with whom there were demonstration matches. This, again, is Nigeria, a team from the top 50 of the FIFA ranking. There was also a match against Uzbekistan. This team is on the move now, reaching the World Cup for the first time in its history. Iran can also be mentioned»
Indeed, these are probably the most prestigious matches for the Russians in the last three years. The game against the strong Iranian team, which performed well at the World Cup, took place more than two years ago, in March 2023, and ended in a 1-1 draw, just like the match against Nigeria. In games against such top teams, Russia leaves no doubt about its class, despite the rarity of such matches.
The conclusion from the words of Russia’s distinguished coach is simple: all resources must be mobilized to ensure regular matches with teams of equal or superior class to the Russian national team. Yes, geography is a limiting factor, and many countries are not prepared to make room in their schedules for trips to Eastern Europe to play matches that have no tournament significance.
The necessity of such matches, for example against Brunei, where it is possible to score double-digit goals, is regularly debated at all levels of football. Nevertheless, it is better than nothing. There should be training camps, joint training sessions, and a spirit of playing for the national team regardless of the status of the match.
In any case, only matches against opponents of the caliber of Nigeria and Iran can prevent a global regression in the difficult conditions of isolation, as Alexander Borodyuk said in an interview. Even neighboring Belarus, with whom a match was also held in June (4-1), is unlikely to be able to demonstrate the necessary level of speed and one-on-one play, and according to Alexander Genrikhovich, this is a key difference.
The positive trend seems to be continuing: a match against Iran is scheduled for October 6. The Russian Football Union is also working on two matches in September: Russia plans, as always, to fully implement its international football training camps, even despite its suspension from FIFA and UEFA tournaments from 2022.
For now, RFU Secretary General Maxim Mitrofanov has said that there will be no comments on future matches until the official announcement. Fans, coaches, and, undoubtedly, the players themselves want to believe that these will be high-profile matches with interesting teams. After all, this is the only way to understand the true level of the national team and the championship, to gain the necessary motivation, to build teamwork, and, ultimately, to attract a large number of fans to Luzhniki Stadium.
The match against Nigeria caused genuine excitement: Russians missed the national team’s big games. Today’s interviewer, Alexander Genrikhovich Borodyuk, made us recall and analyze the results and current state of the Russian national football team. The conclusion was reached: someday the Russian national team will return to UEFA and FIFA tournaments, and whether the return will be painful or dignified is being decided right now. That is why it is so important to talk and write about it.
