Ugarov: Curacao and Cabo Verde had to play against Russia

Denis Ugarov, former player of the "Zenit" team, expressed his opinion on Curacao and Cabo Verde national teams qualifying for the final stage of the 2026 World Cup. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

He shared his views in an interview with the publication "Euro-Football.Ru". This was reported by euro-football.ru.

According to Ugarov, before these teams qualified for the final stage of the World Cup, they should have played against the Russian national team. In his opinion, such matches would have helped to assess the true level of these teams.

He identified the Russian national team as the main opponent in this regard. The Curacao national team, led by head coach Dick Advocaat, will compete in Group E against Germany, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast.

Cabo Verde, on the other hand, will face Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia in Group H. The 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.