Sergey Simek: Enrique and Douglas Santos' participation in the 2026 World Cup enhances the image of Russian football

[Image](https://img.championat.com/s/1200x630/news/big/o/e/semak-uchastie-enrike-i-d)! uglasa-santosa-na-chm-plyus-dlya-imidzha-rossijskogo-futbola_17832766262146529187.jpg) Zenit coach Sergei Simek made statements about the participation of his team players, Douglas Santos and Luis Enrique, in the 2026 World Cup with the Brazilian national team. Simek stated that the absence of these two players will have an impact on the team’s future matches, as he considers them among the team’s most prominent players. He stressed that the players' participation in the World Cup is positive for the image of Russian football and Zenit, but it also represents an important loss for his team. The 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. It should be noted that the Argentine national team is the defending champion after its victory in the 2022 World Cup final against France, where the match ended in a 3-3 draw in its original time, but Argentina won on penalties 4-2.