Spain vs Russia player ratings: Who starred in the World Cup last-16 encounter?

Man-for-man marking from the World Cup last-16 clash at the Luzhniki Stadium

Russia knocked Spain out in yet another major shock at the 2018 World Cup, sending the tournament hosts through to the quarter-finals for the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union.

The match should not have been this close. Fifa’s world rankings displayed this meeting as one between David and Goliath as 10th-placed Spain took on 70th-plaved Russia, but form over the last two weeks had very much suggested otherwise.

Russia exploded out of the blocks to beat Saudi Arabia and Egypt while Spain were held by Portugal and Morocco, with the win against Iran proving enough to take them through as underwhelming group winners.

Yet it was Spain who seized the advantage early on when Marco Asensio’s free-kick was bundled into his own net by Russia’s Sergei Ignashevich when attempting to mark Sergio Ramos.

Ramos celebrated emphatically, but his enthusiasm was short-lived as fewer than 20 minutes later his centre-back partner Gerard Pique conceded a needless penalty when he handballed in the area, allowing Artem Dzyuba to equalise from the penalty spot.

From their neither team was able to push on in what transpired to be a stalemate of a second half, and for the first time this World Cup, extra-time was needed to separate the two sides. Still the goals didn’t come, and when the inevitable penalty shootout came, CSKA Moscow goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev proved Russia’s hero as he saved from both Koke and Iago Aspas to seal Russia a famous victory.

So how did the players perform? Click on the gallery above to find out.