World Cup host city explored: Football legend Peter Schmeichel samples local customs in Kazan
As Russia prepares for the 2018 World Cup, Peter Schmeichel is traveling to cities where the tournament will be played. The football legend visited Kazan, where he made the traditional dessert and attended a wedding.
Schmeichel arrived in Kazan by helicopter, giving him a bird's eye view of Kazan Arena, where six games of the World Cup will be played this summer. He also explored the city itself, learning about its traditions and religious diversity.
The former Manchester United goalkeeper explained that, while roughly half of the population are Muslim and the other half are Christian, they will all be "praying to the football god" during the World Cup.
But Schmeichel's visit wasn't completely centered around the sport he loves so much. When the ‘Great Dane’ was invited to a Tatar wedding, he decided to try his hand at cooking the traditional dessert chak-chak, a popular wedding treat.
However, his attempt didn't exactly go as planned. "There's no way I can bring this to the happy couple. That's going to mean bad luck for them," he said, while looking at his finished product. Luckily, he was saved by a local master who knew how to make the perfect chak-chak.
Schmeichel quickly returned to the world of sport, deciding to try water polo since Kazan is home to water-polo champions. Of course, he assumed his natural position as goalkeeper, though his experience merely confirmed that his sporting skills lie within football.
"That was hard," he said following his water-polo game. "I've got so much respect for these guys, but it confirmed for me that football is definitely something that I can do – not water polo."
Be sure to check out the football legend's other adventures by tuning into 'the Peter Schmeichel Show' on RT.
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