Fifa president Gianni Infantino (left) hugs Russian President Vladimir Putin (AFP)
Moscow - "We have made this grand event a success in every respect," he said
Published: Mon 16 Jul 2018, 6:16 PM
Updated: Mon 16 Jul 2018, 8:21 PM
President Vladimir Putin said Russia could be "proud" of its hosting of the football World Cup, judging it a success "in every respect" after Sunday's final.
"We can surely be proud of how we organised this tournament," Putin said in televised comments after France's victory against Croatia.
"We have made this grand event a success in every respect," he added.
"We have done it for our supporters, for Russians who are passionate about sport and for all those who love sport across the world."
Putin thanked the foreign fans who came to Russia for the tournament.
Before it started a month ago, there had been concerns due to the memory of violence between Russian and English fans during the Euro 2016 tournament in France.
Fans at this World Cup however "showed that sport and football can manage not to divide people and not lead to fights and disputes, but unite people on the basis of common values," Putin said.
"People tried to scare us by saying the English would come and commit hooliganism... But everyone behaved in a most exemplary manner."
Putin said foreign visitors holding "fan ID" cards for the World Cup could have visa-free entry to Russia for the rest of 2018.
The fan IDs which permitted ticket-holders to enter Russia during the World Cup had initially been due to expire on July 25.
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