From Russia with love: England win local hearts as World Cup 2018 kicks off

3.5 billion to tune in on TV to see Messi, Salah, Ronaldo and Kane set world alight

It was a case of from Russia with love today as the World Cup was getting under way — and England got a boost from an unlikely source.

Six young Russian woman, all members of a local walking club, proudly showed off their England flag as they trekked 20 miles hoping to get a glimpse of the team.

The six, Anastasia, Karina, Kristina, Lyudmila, another Kristina and Julianna, were persuaded to support the Three Lions thanks to the only man in their walking group, Anton Vinogzadov.

He said: “I’ve been a fan of England since the days of Beckham, Lampard and Gerrard.

“They certainly were a golden generation. But I have real hopes for this new team. They are all pretty young and relatively inexperienced.

Fans arrive in St Petersburg
Jeremy Selwyn

“What they lack in experience is more than made up by their clear comradeship and sense of togetherness as a team,” he said.

“We cannot wait for this World Cup to start. Come on, England!”

The tournament was kicking off in Moscow today at the start of a month-long feast of football.

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An opening ceremony in Moscow at which Robbie Williams is performing is followed at 4pm London time by the kick-off of the opening fixture between the hosts and Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium.

The sole British representatives, England, have to wait until Monday evening for their first game, the group G clash with 1,000-to-1 outsiders Tunisia.

Some 3.5 billion viewers, almost half the world’s population, are expected to tune in to the 32-day tournament, which will be lit up by the likes of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazil’s Neymar, Mo Salah of Egypt and England’s Harry Kane and Dele Alli. One and a half million fans have travelled to Russia to criss-cross the globe’s biggest country, including 10,000 following the Three Lions.

Fans Anastasia, Karina, Kristina, Lyudmila, Kristina and Juliana arrive in St Petersburg
Jeremy Selwyn

The English contingent is lower than usual because of fears of hooliganism and the tense relations between London and the Kremlin. When the two countries played each other in Marseille at Euro 2016 there were violent clashes when Russian fans charged England supporters in the stadium.

Lindsay Skroll, deputy ambassador to Russia, said “It is in both countries interests to get this right. The fact that we are the only country that legislates against football hooligans is a big factor in building confidence.”

Police spotters will be in host cities, while visas will be checked at all ports, border crossings and airports. Hundreds of armed police in full riot gear are due to line streets near stadiums.

The Foreign Office is running the Be on the Ball campaign on social media to provide travelling fans with advice and alerts.

Ms Skroll said that the expulsion of British diplomats in March after the Skripal poisonings dispute would not put fans at risk. She said: “It has not been optimal and we did lose some staff who had consular experience. They have provided additional visas so we can bring in extra staff for the tournament.”

England’s football bosses have been keeping the lid on expectations for Gareth Southgate’s men after a run of disappointing international tournaments. FA chief executive Martin Glenn said it would be “real progress” if England win a game in the knock-out stages of the World Cup.

On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “We have not won a knock-out game in an international tournament since 2006. So slaying that hoodoo would be seen to be real progress.”

It also emerged today that England is likely to bid for the 2030 World Cup after the 2026 event was awarded to a “united” bid from the US, Canada and Mexico.

Mr Glenn was speaking ahead of the opening ceremony in Moscow, where some 500 dancers, gymnasts and trampolinists were due to perform in an extravaganza paying homage to all things Russian.

Former Take That star Williams was set to perform alongside Russian soprano Aida Garifullina.

Williams said: “I’m so happy and excited to be going back to Russia for such a unique performance. I’ve done a lot in my career, and opening the World Cup to 80,000 football fans in the stadium and many millions all over the world is a boyhood dream.”

Opera singer Placido Domingo, who famously soundtracked Italia ’90 as one of the Three Tenors alongside Luciano Pavarotti and José Carreras, was also due to perform, alongside Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez.

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