- Title: England fans shrug off fears and praise Russia's World Cup
- Date: 3rd July 2018
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JULY 3, 2018) (REUTERS) ENGLAND FANS HANGING FLAGS OUTSIDE RESTAURANTS AND SHOUTING 'ENGLAND', VARIOUS SHOTS ENGLISH ENGLAND FAN ALEX BUTLER FROM DUNSTABLE RIDING A PUPPET IN BAVARIAN COSTUME (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND FAN ALEX BUTLER FROM DUNSTABLE, SAYING: "You can't speak highly enough of how the Russians have organised this event, it's absolutely brilliant. I think it is the best World Cup we have had, how it has been organised, you know. There's nothing you can say about the Russians, they have done an absolutely immense job, I am proud of them and I am proud we are over here as part of it as well. And we are going to go all the way, yeah, I am a pessimist, but we are going all the way this time. Maybe I have had too many lagers, I don't know, but we are, we are going to win it." DANCING WITH THE PUPPET ENGLAND FAN WITH FLAG ON HIS CHEEK DRINKING BEER ENGLAND FANS AND ENGLAND FLAGS OUTSIDE RESTAURANT ENGLAND FANS DRINKING BEER (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND FAN ROB FIVEFOOT, SAYING: "Yeah it has been great, everyone is so friendly, no problems since we have been here. It's all propaganda in the media, every Russian we have met has been really friendly and we've had no problems really." (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNNAMED ENGLAND FAN, SAYING: "Exactly, the atmosphere has been great, you know, it's been a street party every night down here, so every night we try and have an early night and I don't think we have managed to get home before 3:00 a.m." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND FAN ROB FIVEFOOT, SAYING: "Last night was our earliest night and that was a 3:00 a.m. finish, so." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND FAN, SAYING: "So yeah, it's been a party. But World Cups are always like this, you know they always try and scare people off. Like in South Africa you were going to get robbed, in Brazil the same, and wherever you are it is always just a street party, with everyone from all round the world." ENGLAND FANS IN FRONT OF FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND FAN NEIL HOLDSWORTH, SAYING: "Well it's just been an incredible adventure I think, everyone's been so friendly, you can wear your colours with pride, and all the fans are mixing together, they don't call it the greatest tournament on earth for nothing. England are on a run, it's just fantastic." ENGLAND FLAGS ON THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT ENGLAND FANS AND ENGLAND FLAGS OUTSIDE RESTAURANT
- Embargoed: 17th July 2018 15:18
- Keywords: FIFA World cup England fans Moscow Russia
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Sport,World Cup
- Reuters ID: LVA0018N70LKV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:England fans gathering in Moscow on Tuesday (July 3) ahead of the World Cup knockout match between England and Colombia said the tournament had so far proved those raising concerns over hooliganism wrong and that Russian people had only been welcoming.
Worries about violence and other security problems, compounded by a diplomatic crisis between the Kremlin and Westminster, had meant many England fans chose to stay home at the start of the tournament, with just 2,500 visiting Volgograd for England's first game, against Tunisia.
But fans drinking beer ahead of the match said none of the fears had been realised. Alex Butler from Dunstable said it was a shame, that the England's had been scared off because they could have got thousands more fans out to Russia instead of just those flying at the last minute,
"You can't speak highly enough of how the Russians have organised this event, it's absolutely brilliant, I think it is the best World Cup we have had, how it has been organised, you know. There's nothing you can say about the Russians, they have done an absolutely immense job, I am proud of them and I am proud we are over here as part of it as well. And we are going to go all the way, yeah, I am a pessimist, but we are going all the way this time. Maybe I have had too many lagers, I don't know, but we are, we are going to win it."
"So yeah, it's been a party. But World Cups are always like this, you know they always try and scare people off. Like in South Africa you were going to get robbed, in Brazil the same, and wherever you are it is always just a street party, with everyone from all round the world," said another fan.
"Well it's just been an incredible adventure I think, everyone's been so friendly, you can wear your colours with pride, and all the fans are mixing together, they don't call it the greatest tournament on earth for nothing. England are on a run, it's just fantastic," said Neil Holdsworth.
Memories of clashes between Russian and England supporters at the 2016 European Championship in France had also led many to expect the same from this year's World Cup.
Relations between the two countries also hit a low after the attempted assassination of a former Russian spy in Britain in March. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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