Former Dynamo player stated that he would be happy to see Russia return to international football.

Former Kyiv Dynamo footballer Goran Popov expressed his desire for Russian teams to return to the international stage. Popov is currently working as an agent and collaborating with Russian clubs. He claims that everyone is talking about this and believes in the possibility of Russia's return to the 2026 World Cup.

'I believe it's possible, everyone is talking about it. Just recently I was in communication with Macedonian partners, and they confidently told me that Russia would receive a wild card for the 2026 World Cup. Such conversations are everywhere, and everyone expresses themselves positively. I am happy about Russia's return, of course. All national teams and clubs should play where they need to, because there is a difference between sports and politics,' Popov stated.

Goran Popov played for Dynamo from 2010 to 2014 and won the Ukrainian Super Cup in 2011.

Russia was banned from the World Cup qualification draw after its aggression against Ukraine in 2022.

Former Dynamo footballer Andriy Kanchelskis visited Crimea, which was annexed by Russia, violating Ukrainian legislation. He is now the head coach of Bryansk Dynamo.

In Crimea, there is a law that provides for imprisonment of 5 to 8 years for those who violate the entry order into the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine and exit from it.

Andriy Kanchelskis was born in Kropyvnytskyi (at that time the city was called Kirovohrad) and played for Dynamo from 1988 to 1990. He does not support the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and his mother lives in Kropyvnytskyi.