“Nowadays, coaches measure body fat, and it often exceeds the limits. But when I played football, I ate whatever I wanted. I even think Karpin goes too far in this regard—he bans sweets. In England, I couldn’t understand how people could eat at 6:45 PM and then not fall asleep by 10:00 PM. Later, I saw my teammates sneaking chocolate bars and McDonald’s into their bags to take home. Banning something only worsens the problem,” Arshavin said.
On March 27, the Russian national team defeated Nicaragua 3-1 in a friendly match held at Ozon Arena in Krasnodar.
Karpin has been in charge of the Russian team since 2021. Russian clubs and national teams have been suspended from competitions under FIFA and UEFA since February 2022. The national squad missed the 2022 World Cup, Euro 2024, and risks missing the 2026 World Cup as well.