Russian President Vladimir Putin was all smiles when he handed the World Cup trophy to world champion France under a pouring rain at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. Years of preparation and hard work that involved millions of Russians paid off, as colorful fireworks lit up the Moscow evening.
By
Yulvianus Harjono
·5 minutes read
The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia ended on Sunday (15/7/2018) with France taking home the trophy. Nevertheless, the biggest triumph belongs to host country Russia. Praise and recognition that this year’s World Cup was the best in history, in terms of both organization and football entertainment, have successfully transformed global perception of the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was all smiles when he handed the World Cup trophy to world champion France under a pouring rain at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. Years of preparation and hard work that involved millions of Russians paid off, as colorful fireworks lit up the Moscow evening.
The presence of European leaders alongside Putin during the trophy ceremony, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, seemed to have eased tensions between Russia and the European Union (EU) that have persisted in recent years. Around a million international football fans, including from the United States and the United Kingdom, visited Russia and tore down any perceived “Russia-phobia” in one fell swoop.
“Many stereotypes about Russia simply collapsed. People saw that Russia is a hospitable country, kindly disposed toward those who come to us,” said Putin as quoted by The Washington Post.
Such hospitability and kindness were also evident in the Russian cities that hosted World Cup matches, such as Nizhny Novgorod and Samara, which had been relatively unknown to the world just a month ago. Furthermore, these places were completely isolated from the outside world during the Soviet era. When Kompas visited the two cities, one a Russian military industry hub and the other a space research center, it found that their residents were welcoming towards the visitors and enthusiastic about the Cup. The local residents never had second thoughts in helping foreigners to find stadiums and popular spots.
“I think the World Cup has changed the perception of the world towards Russia,” International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) president Gianni Infantino told a press conference, adding that, “As far as I am concerned, we all fell in love with Russia.”
He went on to say: “Everyone has discovered a beautiful country, a welcoming country, full of people keen to show to the world what maybe sometimes is said is not what happens here. It is the best World Cup ever.”
Despite earlier concerns of terror attacks and hooliganism, the World Cup proceeded safely and smoothly. Almost no disruptions occurred during the month-long event, except for an unfortunate pitch invasion by punk activist group Pussy Riot during the final between France and Croatia.
In France, riots involving football fans and the police took place as the national team won the final. “It is a tremendous challenge to organize [the World Cup] perfectly and safely. So, congratulations for the success,” said Macron, the young French head of state who joined in the euphoria following Les Bleus’ victory in Russia.
Praise for Russia also came from the White House. “Congratulations to President Putin and Russia for putting on a truly great World Cup Tournament – one of the best ever!” US President Donald Trump tweeted early this week, ahead of his summit with Putin in Helsinki, Finland.
In terms of football quality, the 2018 World Cup is considered to be one of the best in history, despite the absence of several football countries, including Italy, the Netherlands and Chile. Of the 64 matches held during the month-long event, only one match ended without a goal: the France vs. Denmark match on June 26. A total of 169 goals were scored during the competition. Only the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 1998 World Cup in France had more goals, with 171 each.
“The organization of this year’s World Cup is really great. We are treated very well [throughout our stay in Russia]. The stadiums are amazing. I am very happy to be here,” France coach Didier Deschamps told a press conference on Sunday evening in Luzhniki. Deschamps said that his team felt very comfortable in their headquarters in Istra, a Moscow suburb.
Aside from Deschamps, other coaches also praised Russia. Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said that his team received all the help it needed from the organizing committee throughout their matches. “[The committee] has all the infrastructure we needed and they served us really well. This is the best World Cup, I think,” he said.
Drama and surprises
The 2018 World Cup was also significant in its use of the video assistant referee (VAR) technology, which accompanied all the drama and surprises throughout the event. Established superstar teams, including Germany, Argentina, Portugal and Brazil, were all forced to go home early. They were replaced by the dark horses known for their tireless and persistent fighting spirit, such as Russia, Sweden and Croatia.
“This year’s World Cup shows that there are no more big and small teams. The line that separates them is getting thinner, and now it’s more about motivation and work ethos,” said Infantino.