"I think that millions of people ... did not expect such a result from our team. We can be proud of the fact that we have such a wonderful coach, a Russian coach. We can be proud of our team. Of course, sport is not an art, where you simply admire of the events that are taking place, in sport the result is needed, but their result was worthy," Putin told reporters.

Putin added that everyone understands that there football exists in Russia.

Russia reached the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 before beating 2010 champions Spain on penalties in the round of 16 but lost to Croatia, also in a penalty shootout, in the last eight.