Russia are going into their home tournament on the back of seven straight winless games.

“I’d like to ask you, the journalists, to support us. The tournament hasn’t even started, and you’re already acting so aggressively. Let the tournament finish, and make… conclusions then… Now I ask the whole country to unite… Many millions of people will root for us,” Dzyuba told journalists.

The 29-year-old, who has scored 11 goals in 23 appearances for Russia, added that his team needed support as they were looking to reach the knockout stage for the first time.

“We are preparing for the tournament, we want to win… For us, this is the main event in our lives, we need support of the whole country… We will fight, we will struggle, and you will judge us then [after the World Cup],” Dzyuba said.

Russia will host its first-ever FIFA World Cup from June 14 to July 15 in 11 cities across the country. The host nation will face Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the tournament at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Thursday, before also facing Egypt and Uruguay in their Group A.