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Reuters

President Vladimir Putin congratulated Russia’s World Cup team for their win over Spain in a phone call to the manager, the Kremlin said on Sunday, as the host country marked the surprise victory with raucous street celebrations.
Russia entered the World Cup ranked by Fifa as the tournament’s weakest side, but have defied expectations by beating Saudi Arabia and Egypt easily and now reaching the quarter-finals.
The unexpected success of the national team has been a political boon for Putin, but the Russian president has attended only Russia’s opening World Cup match.
Putin was unable to attend the game against Spain at Russia’s flagship Luzhniki stadium in Moscow because of his busy schedule, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency, adding Putin watched the game remotely.

“Just like the whole country, Putin watched the game from start to finish and cheered for our (lads),” Peskov said.
After the match, Moscow erupted in street celebrations with throngs of people dancing in squares, street musicians playing the national anthem and fans chanting “Russia!”
Fifa World Cup: Russia stun Spain 4-3 on penalties to reach quarter-finals against all odds
Putin called Russia manager Stanislav Cherchesov before the game to wish him luck and again after it to congratulate him, he said.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev attended the game, watching with his wife from the stands. He later posted a photograph on social media of himself and Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko celebrating with the team.


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Fifa World Cup 2018

Fifa World Cup: Vladimir Putin congratulates Russia for penalty shoot-out win over Spain

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech before the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Photo: AFP

epa06855807 Players of Russia react after winning the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Spain and Russia in Moscow, Russia, 01 July 2018. (RESTRICTIONS APPLY: Editorial Use Only, not used in association with any commercial entity - Images must not be used in any form of alert service or push service of any kind including via mobile alert services, downloads to mobile devices or MMS messaging - Images must appear as still images and must not emulate match action video footage - No alteration is made to, and no text or image is superimposed over, any published image which: (a) intentionally obscures or removes a sponsor identification image; or (b) adds or overlays the commercial identification of any third party which is not officially associated with the FIFA World Cup) EPA-EFE/SERGEI CHIRIKOV EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Fifa World Cup: Russia stun Spain 4-3 on penalties to reach quarter-finals against all odds

Russia players celebrate winning the penalty shoot-out and eliminating Spain in the World Cup. Photo: Reuters

Spain's Diego Costa heads the ball during the round of 16 match between Spain and Russia at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Russia's goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev (R) dives for the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup round of 16 football match between Spain and Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 1, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Antonin THUILLIER / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS

Sport

Football

Russian President ‘watched the game from start to finish and cheered for our lads’, says Kremlin spokesman


Fifa World Cup: Vladimir Putin congratulates Russia for penalty shoot-out win over Spain

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Russian President ‘watched the game from start to finish and cheered for our lads’, says Kremlin spokesman

Russian President ‘watched the game from start to finish and cheered for our lads’, says Kremlin spokesman