Russia beat Egypt 3-1 in their Group A encounter on Tuesday. This means after their second group-stage match, Russia have six points and have an excellent chance of reaching the knockout stage, where they could face Portugal, Spain, Iran or Morocco.

"I want to congratulate our team on their victory. Russia have practically guaranteed themselvesthemselves a place in the knockout stage. This is a historic event for our country, we've been waiting for 32 years for it. I congratulate Russia's coaching staff... They have done a huge job. [I congratulate] the players who showed a good performance and put coach's ideas into practice," Rodionov said.

He added that he wished Russia further success.

"I want the team to secure a good result in the final [group stage] game against Uruguay and reach playoffs in a good mood," Rodionov said.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will continue until July 15, with the matches being played in 11 cities across Russia.