The president of Russia’s Football Union, Sergey Fursenko, has promised to make the country a footballing superpower fit to lift both Euro 2012 and 2018 World Cup.

­“Our main goal is winning the 2018 World Cup, but we approach this task step by step,” Fursenko stressed. “The immediate goal is victory at Euro 2012. Over the years we have to become a European footballing superpower.”

The official praised his organization’s achievements at the Russian Football Union’s annual conference on Saturday.

“In 2011, there was significant progress in all directions of the RFU’s work,” he said. "The national team have won the qualifiers for the European Championships in 2012. The country’s U21s also enjoy a solid lead in their qualifying campaign for Euro 2013. We’ve have become the beach soccer world champions, beating none other than Brazil in the final.”   

Fursenko also offered some theories as to why Russia’s top players had failed to establish themselves in the English Premier League.

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has recently parted ways with Everton and joined Spartak Moscow, while Roman Pavlyuchenko has swapped Tottenham for Lokomotiv.

"Football in England is more athletic and fast, while we have a more intelligent and, well… more spiritual game,” the RFU head explained. “I assure you, Bilyaletdinov and Pavlyuchenko will blossom in Russia and it’ll become a huge benefit for the national team.”

Russia were drawn in Group A at Euro 2012, with co-hosts Poland, the Czech Republic and Greece being their rivals.

In 2018, the country will also host the FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history.