"As regards the national team, I have to acknowledge that, sadly, our team has not enjoyed great results lately. But we... have high hopes that our team will make a good showing, play a modern, interesting and beautiful style of football, and fight to the finish," Putin said in an interview with China Media Group.

The president added that the country's main achievement would be hosting the tournament at a high level.

"Our main and essential goal, as the host country, is to provide good organisation of the World Cup and make it a real festival for millions of football fans all around the world," Putin said.

Hosts Russia will take on Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the World Cup on June 14 before taking on their other two opponents in Group A, Egypt and Uruguay.

Russia's first-ever FIFA World Cup will be held from June 14 to July 15 in 11 cities across the country, Moscow, Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saransk, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi and Yekaterinburg.