Injury-hit Russia named their 23-member World Cup Football team yesterday with their hopes of performing respectably as hosts, riding on attacking duo Fyodor Smolov and Artem Dzyuba.

Russia lost some of their top players to knee ligament injuries, while Spartak Moscow goalkeeper Alexander Selikhov has ruptured his Achilles tendon.

Krasnodar forward Smolov, the Russian league's top scorer in 2016-17, who finished second in the league scorers' chart this year, will now spearhead Russia's attack alongside with Dzyuba. One player who seems to have recovered from injuries at the right time is midfielder Denis Cheryshev. He has been included in the 23. 

Russia kick off the World Cup against Saudi Arabia in Group A at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on June 14 and also face Egypt in St Petersburg on June 19 and Uruguay in Volgograd on June 25.