Tagir Galiyev told Sputnik news the Russian midfielder showed early promise. 

"Football is quite a difficult sport, although it seems to be simple," Galiyev said.

"One should understand the process, be able to invent something... Yury has always been good at it. He is unconventional, capable of acting unexpectedly, which matters much in football.".

Gazinsky's mother brought him to Galiyev's football section when he was only six-years- old and the coach accepted him despite the youngster being two years underage.

Galiyev added: "There was no serious physical load. The kids were involved in...technical issues and shaping their creative approach...

"Yura proved to be good at that, and the age difference between him and his older friends did not feel at all since his first steps in football. 

He said he had always liked Gazinsky's approach.

"I liked his life approach... He's a very positive person... There were many moments in his life when he could quit... but he achieved (success).

"He made it from Komsomolsk (-on-Amur, a city in the Russian Far East) to the national team. That speaks volumes."

Russia defeated Saudi Arabia 5-0 in the first match of the tournament at Moscow's 81,000-seater Luzhniki Stadium earlier in the day, with Gazinsky scoring the opening goal.

The 28-year-old said after the tournament that taking part in the World Cup had been his childhood dream.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will last till July 15, with the games set to be played at 12 stadiums across 11 Russian cities.