Russians are excited about welcoming football fans who will come from across the globe for the World Cup next year to witness ‘the beautiful game’ and explore the country, Victoria Lopyreva, FIFA ambassador and Miss Russia 2003, told RT.
“It’s the first time in the history of our country that we have the Confederations Cup and we’re going to have the World Cup – and this is fantastic,” Lopyreva said while visiting RT’s booth in St Petersburg ahead of the Confederations Cup final on Sunday.
The TV host and model is sure that Russians are excited about the World Cup taking place in their country next year.
“Every Russian citizen will really like to be involved. Everybody would like to be a volunteer to support this mega event. I’m so happy that we’re going to invite our foreign guests, not just to Moscow and St Petersburg, but to nine other cities,” she said.
A trip to the World Cup will provide guests with a great chance “to explore, to travel across the country, because Russia is such a beautiful and big place,” Miss Russia 2003 said.
Lopyreva, who is a FIFA ambassador for World Cup 2018, said her job is to “inspire not just football fans, but the rest of the people” to come to the Mundial.
She said that football is more than just sports, as it “has the power to bring people together. It doesn’t matter, which nationality, confession you are; it doesn’t matter what you’re doing in life – you can come enjoy the ambiance and the game.”
“So, guys: we’re waiting for you,” the FIFA World Cup 2018 ambassador told fans abroad.
As for the Confederations Cup final, Lopyreva said she was, of course, rooting for Russia throughout the tournament, but “but my national team is out.”
“It means I’ve got to support the beautiful football,” she said, adding that she wishes luck to both Germany and Chile, who are to vie for the Confederations Cup title in the finale on Sunday evening.