Putin said in an interview posted on the Kremlin website on Wednesday that he expected the national squad to play with courage and flair.
“As far as the team are concerned, I must acknowledge the fact that, unfortunately, our team have not achieved big results in recent times,” Putin said.
“But we very much expect — all fans and lovers of football in Russia — expect the team to play with dignity, for them to show modern, interesting football, and to fight until the end.”
The team has not won in seven consecutive matches and were recently whistled by fans during a 1-1 draw with Turkey.