"The most important is what you felt yesterday and today towards me. If I were you I would have felt the same. Thank you that you support us! I am proud to be Russian. Thank you very much!" Smolov said addressing the fans at the Fan Fest in Moscow.

He added that he was proud to have played for the national team and prove that football is an important sport in the country.

Russia lost 4-3 on penalties in the quarter-finals against Croatia and were eliminated from the tournament. This is the first time Russia have advanced this far at World Cup since the collapse of the Soviet Union.