Oleg Romantsev Compares Maxim Glushhenkov’s National Team Exclusion to Lionel Messi’s Tears
Прощаясь со сборной, Месси со слезами на глазах говорил, что ее футболка всегда была его мечтой, гордостью и жизнью. А Глушенков…» — sport-express.ru reported as legendary former Spartak Moscow and Russia national team manager Oleg Romantsev weighed in on the omission of Zenit Saint Petersburg midfielder Maxim Glushhenkov from Valeri Karpin’s squad for the November international window. Romantsev contrasted the player’s situation with the emotional commitment shown by global football icons when representing their countries.
Glushhenkov, who has netted 10 goals in the current Russian Premier League season for Zenit, was left off the national team roster ahead of upcoming friendlies. According to reports from sport-express.ru, the exclusion stems from concerns regarding the player’s attitude and work rate during national team duties, an issue that drew remarks from teammates.
Addressing the controversy in a reader Q&A, Romantsev suggested that a player must respect the collective to earn a spot. Nor any coach will refuse a player who brings utility.
But if that player respects the team,
Romantsev remarked, before pointing to Lionel Messi’s tearful farewells to the Argentina jersey as the ultimate standard of dedication to national colors.
Nikolai Larin and Aleksandr Bubnov Debate the Zenit Midfielder’s Future
Russian football analysts are sharply divided over the handling of Glushhenkov's absence. Nikolai Larin expressed confidence in the player’s underlying intentions during an interview with Рейтинг Букмекеров, stating, Maxim certainly has the desire to play for the national team, it’s just that sometimes there are days when Glushhenkov is not himself.
Larin added that while he supports head coach Valeri Karpin unconditionally, he believes the 10-goal forward is deeply disappointed by the snub.
A more provocative assessment came from former player and analyst Aleksandr Bubnov, whose comments were highlighted by NewsVO. Bubnov argued that structural tensions within domestic football could amplify such disputes, pointing out the influence held by club backers such as Gazprom regarding major roster decisions.
Romantsev emphasized that while exceptional players often possess demanding personalities, national team representation requires absolute alignment with team goals rather than individual grievances.
Russian Squad Travels to Play Uzbekistan and Venezuela
The Russian national team continues its training camp and schedule of exhibition matches during ongoing international isolation. As verified by ПАИ and sport-express.ru, Karpin’s squad travels to Tashkent to play Uzbekistan on November 12, followed by a home fixture against Venezuela in Krasnodar on November 17.
With Glushhenkov omitted from the roster and Zenit teammate Aleksandr Соболев leading the domestic scoring charts alongside him, attention turns to how the national team performs on the pitch during the November window. Neither the Russian Football Union nor coaching staff have indicated whether the disciplinary impasse with Glushhenkov will be resolved ahead of future 2026 fixtures.
