Since its exclusion from official competitions following the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian national team has resorted to friendly matches against like-minded countries. Recently, several African teams have answered their call.
Despite being marginalised in much of the world, Russia has found opponents willing to take the field. In the past year, they have played friendlies against the likes of Syria, Belarus, Brunei, Grenada, Vietnam and Serbia, as well as matches against Iran, Qatar, Cuba and Iraq. They are currently on a run of seven consecutive victories, scoring 31 goals and conceding none.
The role of African teams
In addition to countries with obvious political ties to Russia, African teams have started playing against them. Egypt (U-23) was the first in September 2023, followed by Cameroon and Kenya. Zambia lost 5-0 to Russia in March 2024, and Nigeria is scheduled to play a friendly in Moscow in June.
Sydney Mungala, director of communications for the Zambian Football Federation, said his team accepted the match for sporting and not political reasons. He explained that two previous matches had been cancelled, leaving Zambia without an opponent on FIFA day. "We couldn't pass up the opportunity to play," he said.
In 2023, the Olympic committees of several African countries, including Nigeria and Zambia, participated in a summit with Russia. While many of these governments have supported UN resolutions calling for an end to the war in Ukraine, they also seek to balance their diplomatic relations.
The European Parliament has noted that Russia seeks to reduce its international isolation through strategic deals in mining, energy and military presence in Africa. In this context, football becomes another avenue to strengthen its influence in the region.
While these matches lack competitive importance, they help Russia maintain its international visibility, challenging its isolation in the sporting arena.
Source: dz.com 23/05/2025