Soccer must: is a friendly match between Russia and the United States possible now?

The Russian national soccer team may play a friendly match with the United States amid extensive negotiations between the two countries. This was stated in an interview with "Sport-Express" by FIFA match agent Mezmuredavid Desta, responsible for the organization of games of the national team of the Americans. He noted that a request from the Russian Football Union (RFU) is necessary. According to our information, the RFU is preparing a corresponding request. How realizable this idea - in the material "Izvestia".

A good option

Immediately after the talks between the Russian and American delegations in Saudi Arabia followed a resonant statement from the organizer of matches of the U.S. national soccer team Mezmuredavid Desta.

- Could Russia and the United States play on a neutral field? Of course, why not? It is possible to organize such a match, - said Desta, answering the question of "SE" about holding the meeting. - I think it's a great idea. For this we need more details, as well as an official letter from the RFU. I do not think it will be difficult to organize such a match.

In our country, the potential match with the U.S. national team is mostly viewed positively. Thus, the former coach of Lokomotiv Moscow and the Russian national team Yuri Semin said that it will be a good sparring for Valeri Karpin's wards.

- Let's not forget that the United States will host the World Cup in 2026," the titled specialist noted to Izvestia. - This team is very strong. Sparring with them for us will be very difficult, but interesting. There will be a huge number of fans regardless of the venue of the match. If this game takes place, it will be a great merit of our soccer federation.

Vyacheslav Fetisov, a State Duma deputy and former sports minister, believes that such a match would help to establish relations.

- Let them play, if there is such an opportunity. What questions? I don't see anything wrong with it. Whether it will work out is another matter," Fetisov told Izvestia. - But it's a good idea. There were goodwill games in their time. Hockey players in their time broke through all these misunderstandings. Sport should serve to unite people. It was invented for that purpose in its time. We'll see how it works out. I'm not against it really. Although soccer isn't the most popular game in America. But in recent years a lot of people have been following the sport. Russia vs. the U.S. in hockey? Let's deal with soccer, then we'll talk about hockey.

But Vyacheslav Koloskov, honorary president of the RFU and former FIFA vice-president, does not believe that the match between Russia and the USA will take place in the near future.

- I treat this initiative as a populist statement," the experienced functionary emphasized to Izvestia. - Against the backdrop of the meeting in Riyadh and the rapprochement of our countries, the match agent decided to show himself and declare an alleged interest. But the match agent does not decide anything, the decision is made by the national association of soccer, and we have not heard any statements from it yet. So theoretically it is possible, but it is not a matter of the near future, frankly speaking. Although the more interesting, it would be nice to play. It would be great to hold successful negotiations, to relieve the tension in the relations between the two countries and to play such a match. In the same Saudi Arabia to hold this game, it would be a good ending.

It's funny that back in the fall of 2024, a potential match with the Americans was only joked about.

- Perhaps we could play the U.S. national team, which is not participating in World Cup qualifying. There's also Mexico and Canada," Maxim Mitrofanov, the RFU general secretary, said sarcastically in an interview with RIA Novosti when asked about potential opponents for the Russian national team in October and November.

Nigeria and Zambia are ahead

While the idea of a friendly match between Russia and the United States is only in the plans, in reality the Russians and Americans will play other opponents.

In mid-February, the RFU announced the names of opponents for the next international break. So, in March, Valeri Karpin's team will play in Moscow with Zambia. And in early summer, the Russian national team will meet Nigeria (June 6, at home) and Belarus (June 10, away).

The Americans have an even less demanding schedule: Mauricio Pochettino's team does not need to qualify for the World Cup at home, so it is relatively free until June. The U.S. team will play two CONCACAF Nations League games during the spring window - a semifinal against Panama (March 21) and a final or third-place game (March 24). The June schedule for the Stars and Stripes is not yet known.

If the match were to take place in the near future, it would be interesting, as the Russian national team is in great shape. Karpin's team has played five friendly matches in 2024: against Serbia (4-0), Belarus (4-0), Vietnam (3-0), Brunei (11-0) and Syria (4-0). The total score of the meetings is 26-0 in favor of the home team.

The U.S. has performed slightly less confidently in 2024. The Stars and Stripes dropped out of their home America's Cup sensationally early in the summer, losing to Panama and Uruguay in the group stage. But the team has been doing better lately. The Americans beat Panama twice in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Nations League in November 2024, and defeated Venezuela and Costa Rica in friendlies in November.

The U.S. team is ranked 16th in the FIFA rankings. The Russian national team is ranked 34th.

Throughout history, the teams have met each other five times, always in friendly matches. Russia has never lost to the Americans: two wins and three draws. The last match between the teams took place in November 2012 in Krasnodar (2:2).