Karpen: If There Were World Cup Qualifiers, 50% of the Squad for Peru Would Have Been Different, Maybe Without Safonov

The head coach of the Russian national team, **Valery Karpin**, stated that if the national squad had taken part in the qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup, the lineup would have been 50% different. He mentioned that goalkeeper **Matvei Safonov** might not have even played.

“Does the lack of playing time hinder Safonov? If there were qualifiers, the lineup would be 50% altered. It’s possible Safonov wouldn’t have played,” Karpin’s comments were reported by Dmitry Zimin from «Championat.»

This season, Safonov is serving as the backup to Lucas Chevalier at PSG and hasn’t yet featured in a match for the Parisians.

The Russian national team is set to play a friendly match against the Chilean national team. The game will take place in Sochi at the Fisht Stadium.