I was lucky enough to attend personally one of the 2018 FIFA World Cup football matches held in Volgograd, analyst of Vestnik Kavkaza Marina Lagutina said today in the National Question program on Vesti.FM. She said that the World Cup 2018 being the world football holiday helped the world see the image of real Russia free from cliches imposed politically.
The expert noted that all Russians understand that Volgograd is a very significant city in the history of our country. The Battle for Stalingrad is a great feat of the Soviet people. Therefore it was very pleasant to see a large number of guests from different countries on the Mamayev Hill.
Englishmen, Poles, Japanese, Nigerians, Icelanders Egyptians and other guests who visited the city during the World Cup 2018 were listening to the guide with a great interest. They were genuinely surprised and asked about the number of those killed in the battle for Stalingrad and about the battle itself. It turned out that the most of them either did not know anything about this event at all or just heard the name. Thanks to the World Cup they found out about it, "she said.
"In Volgograd, it's very hot right now. One of the Egyptian national team’s fan, who previously visited St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, told me that he felt himself as if in Spain. He was surprised that there could be such a different climate in one country. And then he said that in Russia, hookahs are put on tables in cafes, and in Egypt, this is considered a bad sign. So maybe, this is why Egypt had lost in the match,’’ the employee of Vestnik Kavkaza said.
"Japanese who clean stadiums and fan zones after themselves also visited Volgograd. Indeed, their example of a respectful attitude towards environment turned out to be contagious. Of course, everyone will not behave immediately the same way. But seeing the whole tribune cleaning up trash after itself and neighbors, you really want to join them and do the same way further every day,’’ the expert added.
The expert stressed that the World Cup was a breath of fresh air for the cities such as Volgograd, Samara, Saransk. "When the whole world visits not just the capital of the country but comes personally to your city, you try to show maximum hospitality, show yourself and your state from the best side. And our guests, of course, felt it at this World Cup, " Marina Lagutina said.
