Former midfielder of the Russian national team Oleg Shatov shared his memories about the team's participation in the 2016 European Championship. This was reported by Euro-football.ru.
In that tournament, Russia finished last in the group. The group included teams from England, Wales, and Slovakia.
According to Shatov, the problem was not only in the results but also in the atmosphere within the team. He stated that the squad at that time was strong enough to advance from the group, but the team did not unite and did not strive for a common goal.
Shatov noted that there was high potential in the team and they could have reached the playoffs. However, mistakes were made by both the coaching staff and the players.
Although the main responsibility was placed on the head coach, the players also needed to realize their role, responsibility, and level of demand. Shatov also emphasized that the situation at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was similar.
At Euro 2016, the Russian national team finished the tournament with one point, drawing with England and losing to Wales and Slovakia.
