World Cup 2026 #FM19 - The end for Chepiga?.. — CoffeehouseFM

Ruslan watched on as Anzhi succumbed to another defeat and finished the campaign a lowly 6th, their lowest finish since Ruslan's second season in charge. Manager Mauricio Pellegrino wouldn’t last the night, Chepiga knew that much. This wasn’t, however, his concern, he was in attendance as Russian National manager. The “United” World Cup 2026, was just around the corner, and Ruslan knew only full well what failure would mean. He was being followed by at least two operatives, one male, and one female, as was the custom these days. They tried hard to go unnoticed but they were easily spotted, they’d clearly read the manual that Chepiga helped edit; he was onto them.

Qualification

Qualification had been a success finishing second behind the Czech Republic. At this juncture, I should point out that as an experiment I am only using the tactical presents provided by SI. I also selected the formation the game suggests to use with the particular playing style, and I left the roles and duties as the game provides them. So look away now if you have a problem with wing-backs on automatic duty. When selecting my squad I used the player search screen and searched by the attributes the game deems important for each role I use. I decided to keep things simple and selected three preset tactics that I would use depending upon the quality of opposition.

Gegenpress
Fluid counter attack
Direct counter attack

This worked fairly well in qualifying where we played with a Gegenpress against Belarus, Faroe Islands and Bosnia. We switched to a fluid counter-attack in the two games against the Czech Republic.

In-game I also decided to implement all of my assistant managers suggestions, just to see what would happen, no more “we are being seriously over-run in midfield” here.

The draw for the World Cup took place a few months before the tournament. Ruslan was in attendance even though he knew most of it beforehand. He knew the Kremlin had ensured he would meet the USA in the group stages. Not only did Moscow expect Chepiga to lift the trophy, but they also wanted their biggest rival humiliated on home soil. South Africa would play the role of whipping boys.

Group Stage

Russia 1 v 1 South Africa Sunday 15th June 2026 @ MetLife Stadium, New Jersey. Att. 82,566

The MetLife stadium provided a great backdrop for Russia's opening game in WC 2026.

South Africa had already been soundly beaten by the USA 3-0 in their opening match, a comfortable win was expected for Russia. Chepiga decided to use the Gegenpress tactic. Atlético Madrid defensive midfielder, Ivan Golovin, normally deployed in a playmaking role in midfield, was moved to centre-back as a ball-playing defender. Chepiga also utilised out and out strikers as inside forwards. Pre-game trusted assistant, and former Anzhi captain, Igor Chaykovskiy suggested tackling Sevilla centre-midfielder, Mokeana, hard. Given his bravery attribute of 9 and his player trait of 'dictates tempo', this approach seemed reasonable. South Africa lined up in a very deep, and defensive looking, 4-2-1-2-1.

The game kicked off and almost immediately Russia was on top. Waves of attacks flowed towards the South African goal. After six minutes Chaykovskiy suggested telling the players to pass the ball shorter, which Chepiga did. By the 40th minute Russia had taken 11 shots with 5 of them on target, South Africa had yet to test PSG no.1 Denis Miranchuk, in the Russian goal. That was to change on 43 minutes, a period of possession by South Africa sets, Russian born traitor, Grigory Grishin free, he crosses to the far post where Aubriy Modiba heads South Africa into a shock lead.

Chepiga read the riot act at half time. The play had been too congested and slow. However, nothing much changed in the second half. Russia could easily get to the edge of South Africa's box but were unable to penetrate the defence. With defeat looking inevitable Russia got a corner on 89 minutes. Striker Fedor Chalov pounced on a rebounded shot to fire in an equaliser, the relief was clear for all to see. The game finished 1-1, and while this wasn't satisfactory, it meant a draw against the USA in four days time would be enough to see Russia through.

Russia 2 v 0 U.S.A. Friday 19th June 2026 @ BMO Field, Toronto. Att. 34,825

BMO Field Toronto, Canada. A strange choice for a game featuring the USA.

Russia would top the group with a win against, the already qualified, U.S.A. Winning the group should also have the added bonus of avoiding Argentina in the second round.

Supreme Presidential Patriot Trump was in attendance, Ruslan expected the USA to attack, given his presence, anything less would be seen as cowardly. So he decided to employ the fluid counter-attack strategy. This meant some personnel changes were required, a few players were also in poor condition after 90 minutes of pressing against South Africa just four days prior. The powerful centre-back, Rodrigo Becão (a player Chepiga had personally help naturalise from Brazil), came in at centre-back for Eduard Löwen, who had picked up a small knock. Alexandr Golovin moved from central midfield to Inside forward on the left, and wonderkid winger Stanislav Osipov came in as a genuine right-winger. Anton Pozdnyakov replaced goalscorer Fedor Chalov upfront, as an advanced forward. Alexey Miranchuk came in to win his 99th cap as a roaming playmaker, a role I have come to appreciate as FM19 winds down.

As expected the USA lined up in an attacking 4-2-3-1, Ruslan was confident he could exploit the space left in behind their defence. When the game started it was a fairly cagey affair with neither side really committing men forward in any great number. After 17 minutes assistant Chaykovskiy suggested working the ball into the box as we were shooting from too far out. Then after 29 minutes he became concerned with Hyndman's ability on the ball and suggested we close him down all the time.

When the breakthrough actually came it was rather innocuous. A long throw caused chaos in the American box and finally, the ball fell at the feet of the box to box midfielder, and Russian captain, Roman Zobnin, who stabbed the ball home from a few yards out. Now the USA really would have to attack, playing straight into Ruslan's plan. The USA, in the end, couldn't muster a single shot on target, whilst Russia had three clear cut chances on the counter-attack. Despite this, the game wasn't safe until the 85th minute when Spartak wonderkid, Stanislav Osipov, fired a fantastic volley into the top corner of the American net. It was a thing of beauty from the 18-year-old.

This truly was, a fantastic result, the USA was humbled. Chepiga was overjoyed, topping the group would lead to a fairly simple path through the knockout stages; avoiding one of the favourites Argentina.

Or so he thought!

So it was to be Argentina, an Argentina containing, Ed Wilson's Paulo Dybala, who had ripped his Anzhi side apart back in season 7.

Second Round

Russia 2 v 2 Argentina Tuesday 23rd June, MetLife Stadium, New Jersey Att. 82,566

Chepiga pondered moving to the direct counter-attack system he had successfully used against Brazil in a friendly, but the previous game had gone so well, he kept faith with the fluid system. Ivan Golovin moved from centre-back to defensive midfield, as PSG youngster, Vladimir Konkin, was feeling the pace of three games in a week. This allowed Eduard Löwen to come back in at centre-back to win his 13th cap, all of them under Chepiga. Alexey Miranchuk, now playing in China, retained his place in midfield, to win his 100th cap. Assistant Chaykovskiy, basically wanted Russia to tackle most of the Argentinian players hard, Ruslan concurred, this might get ugly he thought. Yes, the uglier the better. Argentina lined up in an attacking 4-2-3-1 and they were impressive, spearheaded by PSG's elite striker Lautaro Martinez, Paulo Dybala, Joaquín Correa, and FM favourite, Christian Pavón. He wasn't altogether hopeful of keeping them out.

The game was, to be frank, awful for 90 minutes. Virtually nothing happened, I even checked the highlights mode in case it had been accidentally changed. Things finally came to life during extra time. First, after 97 minutes, Christian Pavón found Lautaro Martinez with a deep cross which the PSG striker fired home on the half volley.

On the stroke of half-time, in extra time, Russia got a wide free-kick. Stanislav Osipov found centre-back, Eduard Löwen, who headed home an equaliser. On 112 minutes, it was Russia who was hit on the counter-attack, with Martinez starting the move in his own half before finishing it in style a few seconds later in Russia's box. As the clock ticked round to 115 minutes, Chepiga moved to his more attacking Gegenpress tactic. It was this high press that ultimately leads to Russia winning the ball back in the Argentinian half and being able to attack straight at the heart of their defence. Substitute box to box midfielder, and Anzhi old boy, Ayaz Guliev, finishes the move emphatically with one minute remaining. So, 2-2 it finished and penalties would have to decide the winner.

The scores were 3-3 after four penalties each. Ángel Correa stepped up for Argentina and Ruslan looked to the sky, he wasn't religious but he prayed anyway, let him miss.

He scored! Fuck, thought Chepiga. It was down to Brazilian centre-back Rodrigo Becão. Chepiga had already been criticised by some in the Kremlin for selecting the first-ever, non-Russian, black player to play internationally for the Reds. It was a risk, but he convinced the home affairs department it was the right thing to do.

He knew from the cheers to his left he had missed. Shit, shit, shit! Russia was out in the second round. Ruslan was unsure who he could blame, he knew if you couldn't pin the blame on someone, or something, it would be pinned on you.

Before the players had even left the field, Chepiga was ushered by two men into a room in the depths of the resplendent stadium. There, whilst the Argentine crowd roared in celebration in the stands above him, he expected to be beaten, shot perhaps. After a couple of hours, the crowd gwas gone the stadium eerily silent, he could hear footsteps approaching, these weren’t a soldier's steps, these steps were far too short and deliberate, this must be an official approaching. His fate was sealed now, just how bad it was going to be, he could not tell.

A small man entered and placed his spectacles carefully on his nose. He peered at Chepiga, his expression a mix of pity and disdain. Ruslan recognised him, but his face was nameless, this was not a friendly face. He began reading from a cigarette stained page he was holding.

"Ruslan Alexeyevich Chepiga, Superior agent of the Russian federal security service and liberator of the African world. Born May 1971 in Kaspiysk, Dagestan. By the power vested in me by the international affairs committee, I hearby…"

He tossed the page aside and walked deliberately, almost menacingly, towards Chepiga.

"I can do anything I want with you Chepiga." He sneered.

"If I am to be shot then get on with it, I have no desire to listen to you honouring yourself." Chepiga spluttered in retort.

"No-one is getting shot today Chepiga, the whole world saw you out there, it would be poor statecraft to execute you now. You will become an unperson, just another deserter working in the labour camps of the Colonies."

Chepiga secretly yearned for the bullet, the colonies were a fate worse than death, he knew this, as he helped create them. They reckoned you could survive no more than three years cleaning up that mess.

"That performance will not be accepted by the state, it will not be discussed in the press - it never happened. You will be allowed to live, keep your name even, but you will have no authority, no real duties, no friends. Men will not talk to you, nobody will listen to you. Other men, lesser men, will receive credit for the things you have done. Your legacy is now their legacy, and you will live to see it." This agent seemed to take joy at Chepiga's downfall.

"And if I refuse?" asked Chepiga, defiance in his voice.

"Why worry about something that isn't going to happen, when the bullet enters your skull will your refusal matter then?" Came the reply.

Chepiga decided he was right, it was better to be a live dog than a dead lion. Chepiga stood up wearily, put his hands behind his head. "What colony am I to be sent to?"

"Colony 1: Nuclear City 9"

Chepiga knew Nuclear City 9 was the codename for Pripyat, Ukraine. It was home to the Vladimir Ilyich Lenin Nuclear Power Plant, to the outside world it was better known as, Chernobyl.