The FIFA World Cup 2018 has officially kicked off with the host nation, Russia dominating the opening match with a tally of 5-0. Their fellow opponents, Saudi Arabia, debuted as the first Asian team to play an opening match. The Luzhniki stadium, Moscow, was stretched to its capacity with an attendance of 80,000 people who came to watch the opening ceremony and the first game.
Russia is spending more than $13 billion on hosting the biggest football extravaganza of the year. The last time Russia saw a major global sports tournament being held in the country was the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics. British pop star Robbie Williams performed in the opening ceremony along with Russian soprano, Aida Garifullina. The show opened with a performance from violinist Yuri Bashmet and pianist Daniil Trifonov. Spanish World Cup winner Iker Casillas along with Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova brought the World Cup trophy on the pitch in a shiny Louis Vuitton travel case before the music and dance numbers boomed. Williams enthralled the crowd with his biggest hits that included the chart-topping ‘Angels’ and ‘Feel’.
The inauguration day saw a number of respectable dignitaries including the great Brazilian legend Ronaldo, who took over the centre stage alongside the tournament’s mascot, Zabivaka. Incidentally, Luzhniki stadium will also be hosting the finals and the closing ceremony.
