Former Dynamo Kyiv, Shakhtar Donetsk and Manchester United player Andrei Kanchelskis has caused a scandal after claiming Russia bribed their opponents at their 2018 World Cup at home, where they reached the quarter-finals. In particular, the former striker of the Russian national team singled out the confrontation with Spain in the first round of the playoffs.
“They pulled us by the ears at the World Cup. Besides, who did we play with there? With Uruguay, who took us out. With the Spaniards, who played in an incomprehensible way. It was a very strange match. Believe me, in time this will come out foam. Why support Cherchesov? For buying everyone at the World Cup? Buying all the games. Don’t you know? Do you think the King of Spain just came like that?” Kanchelskis said in an interview propaganda channel “Match TV”.
These words provoked an angry reaction from many experts. So, the ex-Spartak player Anzor Kavazashvili accused a native of Kirovograd (now – Kropyvnytsky) working for Western intelligence services. “Today, when the SVO is being held (this is how the Russian Federation shamefully calls the war in Ukraine. – Ed.) And the whole world has united against Russia, one person speaks badly of our football. And for a long time he has played in Britain, which supports the Nazi regime in Ukraine, and someone may ask the question: my dear, did you play football there or did you cooperate with the special services? – said the former goalkeeper.
In turn, the honorary president of the Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov called the words of Kanchelskis nonsense. “I have not read this interview. But it seems to me that this is complete nonsense. It turns out that the Spaniards were bought so that they would not fight? And Uruguay was also bought when the Uruguayans won 3-0? No, This is some kind of nonsense. At this level, matches are not bought,” Zhukov said.
And the ex-footballer of the Moscow “Spartak” Evgeny Lovchev demanded evidence from Kanchelskis. “He has to prove it, otherwise he has to keep quiet. All matches at the World Cup are bought … Well, what is he talking about? He’s a great footballer, I don’t want to say something bad about him, but when it comes to things like that, you have to demonstrate that you are fighting for the purity of football,” he stressed.
Recall that at the 2018 home World Cup, the Russian team defeated Spain in the round of 16 on penalties. In the group stage, the representatives of the aggressor country beat Saudi Arabia (5:0), Egypt (3:1) and lost to Uruguay (0:3). In the quarterfinals, the Russians lost on penalties to Croatia.
As reported by OBOZREVATEL, former Russian national team player Andrey Kanchelskis called the date on which teams from the Russian Federation will return to FIFA and UEFA tournaments.
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