Russia
While Russia may have gained notoriety for certain controversial aspects, the country possesses numerous admirable qualities. Recognized as the world’s largest nation by landmass and counted among the seven global powers, many might not realize that Russia also fields a national soccer team that has qualified for FIFA World Cup tournaments on 11 separate occasions.
The Russian national squad has maintained membership in soccer’s international governing body since 1912, though their inaugural World Cup appearance didn’t occur until 1958. Throughout their participation history, they’ve achieved a fourth-place tournament finish once. During each of their World Cup appearances, the Russian team has consistently received support from strikingly enthusiastic female fans cheering from the stands.