Opinion | Fifa World Cup final: France rain on Vladimir Putin’s parade as Emmanuel Macron gets last laugh at trophy presentation
Russian president mocked on social media for umbrella own goal during World Cup trophy presentation as French counterpart enjoys sweetest of victories
Vladimir Putin will pose topless for macho photoshoots riding around on a horse, but it seems he can’t handle a bit of a rain.
World Cup final viewers were treated to the sight of the Russian president huddled under a giant umbrella – held up over him by a lackey – during Sunday’s trophy presentation on the pitch, when a deluge poured down on the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Emmanuel Macron, the president of tournament winners France, didn’t care that he was getting soaked to the bone as he congratulated Didier Deschamps’ men.
The 40-year-old Macron nervously paced around and then wildly celebrated in the VIP area as France overpowered Croatia 4-2 in a manic final to claim their second World Cup, 20 years on from the first.
But perhaps even sweeter than watching Les Bleus triumph through goals from stars Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe would have been getting one over on Putin.
“MERCI” read Macron’s simple tweet after the triumph, which no doubt tasted even better coming on Russian soil after Putin’s shenanigans during the 2017 French presidential election.