Estonian players apologize for joint photo with Karpin after criticism from fans

Estonian football players Konstantin Vasiliev, Sergey Zenev and assistant head coach of the national team Andres Oper apologized for the photo with the head coach of the Russian national team Valery Karpin.

Before the new year, one of the former players of the Estonian national team, Andrey Stepanov, published a joint photo with Karpin on social networks. The ex-players of the Estonian national team and the Russian coach had a joint dinner. A group of fans of the Estonian national team was outraged by this publication. The current captain of the Estonian national team Vasiliev was offered to deprive the captain’s armband.

— Dear football fans! We regret the situation and apologize to anyone whose feelings were hurt by our dinner together and posting the photo on social media. Our conversation was only about football, we didn’t talk about politics. We have always defended Estonia on and off the football field and will continue to do so,” the players and coach said in a joint statement, quoted by the Estonian edition of Delfi Sport.

Karpin is a native of the Estonian Narva and has led the Russian national team since the summer of 2021.