Spain vs Russia: 5 Best and Worst Players

1. Best: Ilya Kutepov

You've done it mate, you've done it!

Yes, he is a centre-half and was the best player on the pitch for 120 long minutes.

In the first few glimpses, it was clear that Russia looked to defend deep rather than committing bodies ahead. Parking the bus is not at all an easy task and requires a lot of concentration, desire and the energy to maintain the same intensity over the course of the game.

Kutepov was colossal at the back, as he did not let Spain’s creativity mess with his ruthless attitude and strong challenges. Kutepov was the first to get to any lobbed or aerial ball into the box and made 10 clearances in total.

He also intercepted the ball six times, cleared the lines and ran back into his position quick enough to not let any adversary forward run behind him. Kutepov blocked three shots, tackled twice and stayed close to his marker in order to avoid getting booked for rash challenges.

He always seemed to make the right decision in difficult situations, and this cool demeanour coupled with a rugged mentality and playing approach made him the toughest nut to crack for all the flawless, creative Spaniards.