https://www.scmp.com/rss/327415/feed Michał Romanowski is a Eurasia expert with The German Marshall Fund of the United States in Warsaw. Reprinted with permission from YaleGlobal Online http://yaleglobal.yale.edu en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Most football fans around the globe have been impatiently counting down minutes to the beginning of the World Cup. With Russia as the tournament’s host, politics may share the spotlight with soccer more than usual. Over the past four years, Moscow has contributed to shaking the foundations of the global international order and skilfully utilised sport as a tool.  Russia, in its constant search for international legitimisation, sees mega sports events as a way to prove to the world it is a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2150788/putin-rides-fifa-world-cup-achieve-his-diplomatic-goals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2150788/putin-rides-fifa-world-cup-achieve-his-diplomatic-goals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Jun 2018 09:45:00 +0000