Algerian barrier

The Russian team could not reach the 1/8 finals of the World Cup. Having tied with the Algerian national team 1: 1, the Russian team leaves the World Cup.

Of course, Russia ended up in a “worthy” company: teams of Italy, England, Spain , Portugal could not leave the group tournament. But it is unlikely that anyone will put this fact in the merit of the Russian national team. After all, she “flew”, as in 2002, from a not very strong group: Belgium beat Russia , South Korea and Algeria agreed to a draw . The rivals are quite “passable” - “impenetrable” turned out to be the whole of Russian football.

There are very unpleasant indicators in the history of Russian sports. So, the Russian team in hockey was never able to win the Olympic Games. And the Russian national football team never in its history was able to overcome the barrier of the group tournament at the World Cup. The last time this barrier was overcome back in Soviet times, in 1986. It's a shame, Russian fans, right? So guess after a small game with Algeria, will fans go to the next arena - to smash Moscow, as in 2002? ..

The last 8 years of the Russian team, very respected coaches led the Russian team: Gus Hiddink came to the team in April 2006. Then there was Dick a lawyer who was replaced by Fabio Capello. The last relative success was achieved by Russian players at the 2008 European Championship, when they were able to reach the semifinals. I would not exaggerate the significance of this success. In the end, the Spaniards then broke up with the Russians twice - 4: 1 and 3: 0. But still it was the result, and the game shown by the Russian national team at times inspired respect. Then the failures and departures began: they won’t get to the World Cup, having lost in the butt match not the strongest team of Slovenia, then in the group at the European championship they will meditate unevenly to Greece ... And in the final of the World Championships, Russia has not played since 2002. And now - played. With Algeria. In the old years, tell me who, that Algeria will not miss Russia into the playoffs, would simply laugh!

For some reason, it seems that Russian football successes are akin to the "achievements" of the whole country. In the field of the economy - raw materials and depressive. On the field of foreign policy-petty-global, aggressive and short-sighted. On the field of internal politics - authoritarian and fundamentally non -common. "Football is life!" -once used to say one of our colleagues on Radio Liberty. The years spent by Russian football under a silly-east screech-you can’t say differently! - Homegrown telecumentors were spent almost wasted. "Overheated", in the sense of undeservedly large fees, Russian football players are much "to star" only at the internal level. Outside the Russian football Premier League, a completely different level begins, where, as it turned out, even Algeria and South Korea are able to set insoluble tasks for “too many players about themselves. But Russia has to accept the 2018 World Cup with the same Fabio Capello ... But Don Fabio is nothing - in his opinion, the Russians and personally he "did everything right."

But by the way, it is good, probably, that the Russian team could not overcome the "Algerian barrier". In this case, it would be expected: the All-Russian glory that the team would be covered in honor of the exit to the playoffs, and the universal shame when the team of Capello would erase the strong national team of Germany into the powder. But against the backdrop of that very glory, a shame would not have become a reason for a serious lesson - on the contrary, Russia would be praised for doing everything she could. From the point of view of the development of football in the country, defeat from Algeria can be much more useful. Frankly exposed problems may be easier to solve in the future.

Of course, if you do not forget that your favorite sport in Russia is an offensive. On a rake.

Stability, however.

Alexey Kuznetsov - sports observer of Radio Liberty.