Cherchesov gets two more years as Russia coach

Russian national team football coach Stanislav Cherchesov today saw his contract extended by at least another two years after the side's better-than-expected performance at the World Cup.

"The Russian Football Federation announces it has signed a new contract with the head coach of the Russian team, Stanislav Cherchesov," it said in a statement.

The contract is for two years with the possibility of a further two-year extension, the federation added.

It thanked the former footballer for his "successful work in preparation for the 2018 World Cup" which took place in Russia this summer.

Russia reached the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time in its post-Soviet history despite being the lowest-ranked team, leading to euphoric scenes on the streets of Moscow and elsewhere.

"Stanislav Cherchesov and his team have the complete trust of the federation. We anticipate bright victories and significant achievements ahead for the Russian team," said Aleksandr Alaev, the acting head of the Russian Football Federation.

The coach said he was "delighted to continue work with the Russian team".

President Vladimir Putin was set to host the national team and its coaches for an awards ceremony at the Kremlin.