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The World Cup kicks off in Russia on Thursday as years of preparations dogged by diplomatic scandals give way to a month of action on the field in football's global showpiece. Russia get the ball rolling against Saudi Arabia at the completely refurbished 80,Russia defies critics to throw World Cup party
The World Cup kicks off in Russia on Thursday as years of preparations dogged by diplomatic scandals give way to a month of action on the field in football's global showpiece. Russia get the ball rolling against Saudi Arabia at the completely refurbished 80,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow after an opening ceremony attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Brazil have won the title a record five times while defending champions Germany are on four and determined to draw level with the Brazilians when the final is played at Luzhniki on July 15. There was little romance in the prelude as Russia's problems -- from racism and hooliganism to a foreign policy sharply at odds with the West -- were exposed and scrutinised. Britain and some eastern European states still haunted by Moscow's rule in the Soviet era tried to organise a diplomatic boycott over the poisoning in England of a former Russian spy. ... Read more