Missed spot kicks by Smolov and Mario Fernandes resulted in the host nation being eliminated from the tournament.

“I am hurt because Smolov is a talented player, big time, but this time he was out of luck, but he still played for the team, worked hard, scored a penalty against Spain… This was his first World Cup. Maybe he did not approach the tournament correctly from psychological perspective. I take the blame,” Cherchesov said in an interview with the RT news channel.

After Saturday's match, the 28-year-old forward said that he “assumed full responsibility” for not being able to score and thanked Russia’s fans and coaching staff for their support during the tournament, adding that he was grateful for a “chance to be a part of this team.”

Reaching the quarter-finals was Russia's best result at the World Cup since the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991.