Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
RUSSIA HAS BEEN praised in recent weeks for a well-organised, smoothly-run World Cup.
So it came as something of a surprise this evening that officials had seemingly neglected to bring along a few extra umbrellas for the presentation ceremony, as France claimed its first victory in the tournament in 20 years.
At first, it appeared President Vladimir Putin would be the only leader on the podium provided with an umbrella amid a post-match downpour in Moscow.
Alongside him, Emmanuel Macron’s suit darkened along a scale from damp to drenched as he shook hands and greeted players from his victorious French team and the runners up from Croatia.
Croatian leader Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Fifa boss Gianni Infantino also continued with the formalities – apparently unperturbed by the lack of any particular effort to shield them from the rain.
The ceremony continued as you might expect. None of the three other leaders appeared to offer much by way of complaint, and, eventually, someone managed to rustle up a few umbrellas (smaller ones) for the visiting guests.
Given his reputation for strongarm tactics and diplomatic mindgames, many Twitter users reckoned the lack of protection for anyone else but Putin fit in pretty well with his political persona.
Macron and Putin had a meeting ahead of the final, but a spokesperson for the French leader said yesterday that the situation in Ukraine had not evolved enough for Macron to invite Putin to the next G7 meeting taking place in Biarritz next summer.
Congrats
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has tweeted his congratulations to France in the wake of the country’s World Cup victory.
Trump also congratulated Putin for what he described as “a truly great World Cup Tournament — one of the best ever!”.
Trump is on his way to a summit meeting with Putin in the Finnish capital of Helsinki. He departed Scotland this afternoon after spending two nights at his Turnberry golf resort, and is due to meet with Putin tomorrow.
Tomorrow’s summit will offer the two leaders the chance to get the measure of each other on an array of fronts including Syria, Ukraine and nuclear disarmament.
- Includes reporting from AFP
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Very Successful world cup. Well done Russia.
@Niallers: Honestly, I don’t care much for soccer or Russia. But, this really was the best in a long time.
@Niallers: Yep, it was a show which was bought by Putin from FIFA and used for “improving image of Russia” so plenty of money spent on that. Give World Cup to North Korea and it will be “very successful as well “. There was number of homophobic attacks. There were robberies and 2 drive into crowd terror attacks, the second in Sochi was not even reported. And it was “tired taxi driver” again which the same as with the first one was from the place were dominant religion is Islam. Rapes weren’t reported as per police statement “they did not want visitors to be worried”. 2 French gay man were badly beaten even before the cap. Only reported by local opposition paper. This attack was not reported
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXxKK_Dq6z0
@Niallers: Amazing how ppl forget about all this and clapping their hands to Putin now. As this show is used at great rate to his personal PR in Russia and abroad. Here is one of the unreported attacks and drive into crowd “by tired student” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGy4FWtUhX8 and homophobic attack on British fan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R1t9hZCWpk
@Oleksandr Savitskyy: Trust me, Oleksandr, I’m still no fan of Putin. I remember being in St Petersburg in the early 2000s when gay clubs were still allowed (I’m straight, but many of my friends are not). I remember the neo-Nazi marches that occurred then. The neo-Nazi knife that was pressed against my neck will live for a long time. I’ll still say it was a good World Cup, though.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: OOps. But Olexandr is quite familiar with neo-nazi marches. They are a daily occurrence in his homeland of ukraine now.
@Pat Patovic: Here is Putin troll factory coming :) .Do you know the percent of Far Right parties in Ukrainian Parliament? Not a single racist or homophobic attack happened during Euro 2012.
@Oleksandr Savitskyy: What the name of the neo-nazi leader with SS tatttoed on his neck then ?
@Oleksandr Savitskyy:
ttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/rights-groups-demand-israel-stop-arming-neo-nazis-in-the-ukraine-1.6248727
https://consortiumnews.com/2018/07/05/corporate-medias-about-face-on-ukraines-neo-nazis/
@Irish Bob: I asked for ” the percent of Far Right parties in Ukrainian Parliament” and you are giving me an article from “independent news source” which writes about “corporate media”. :)))). And articles like this https://russia-insider.com/en/robert-parry-explains-how-his-recent-stroke-will-limit-his-reporting-russiagate/ri22066 Independent media biased on love to Putin and “trying to see how he sees the world” . Basically “independent journalists” who are advocates of Putin who killed 100s of independent (really ind.) journalists and public figures. Very credible source of info. I won’t even touch Antisemitism as Ukrainian President and Prime Minister are Jews. And yes there were some attacks on Roma camps in Kiev and Lviv. These attacks are condemned by huge majority of Ukrainians, they reported (not hidden like in Russia) on all major Ukrainian media and people who were involved arrested .
It was in all fairness.
@Paul Fahey: a new dawn for Euro soccer
Both teams were superb for tenacity ,drive and skill .
Showed the S American teams what calibre of players it truly has
Win win for all
@Paul Fahey: how do you know? You couldn’t have seen it all between defending that b@llb@g Trump on the journal.
@White Rabbit: on security alone for the cup Trump was right let alone the soccer played
@Quentin Moriarty: It helps when you have a Police State and can lock down anyone that may have the potential to embarrass you.
@Mick Jordan: As the Pussy Riot girls are no doubt about to experience (yet again)
@Harry Whitehead: They will be in a Siberian Gulag before the week is out.
@Mick Jordan: and rightly so
@Shaun Gallagher: So you don’t agree with peaceful protest?
@White Rabbit: please detail one place where I have defended him. Crack on……
@Harry Whitehead: didn’t see a pussy riot or any riot. did I miss the news coverage ?
If there was a riot I guarantee it would be world news
But no
@White Rabbit: come on ball bag, where have I defended Trump?
@Paul Fahey: You didn’t specifically defend Trump, but you said the World cup was great. It was held in Russia. Russia allegedlly colluded with Trump to win election. Therefore, if you think the WC was good ? You basically have the hots for the Donald. That’s how logic works in this new era of snowflakyness.
@Paul Fahey: Facts don’t matter to people like White Rabbit, Paul. You could be the most anti-Trump person on here but if you say anything that doesn’t align with “liberal” talking points, you will be banished.
You are now a pro-Trump supporter, a racist, a Nazi, a KKK supporter, an Islamophobe, a sexist, a misogynist, a xenophobe, and a white supremacist. You are also a Russian bot, a Russian troll and a virgin/incel. You live in your ma’s box room. You are uneducated and dumb.
Today’s “liberals” don’t like free thinking, Paul. They just simply want to control.
@Paul Fahey:
But you said it was a good world cup Paul therefore you must be one of those Russian bots infiltrating the Journal comments section.
I know, I am one too.
@Low Energy Jeb: You have explained it superbly. That’s the way it is.Well said.
@Mick Jordan: better to have the crap in the toilet than on the kitchen floor
It was a fantastic World Cup.
@Daniel Donovan: they could have stretched to supplying a covered podium. B&Q sell garden canopys for €59.
I was wondering what was the story with the air hostesses carrying the medals?
@Paul Whitehead: I am sure that thee were plenty of umbrellas in the BBC video, wasn’t just Putin. They all got drenched anyway, great to see the friendliness between Macron and Coatia lady president.
@Paul Whitehead: bit far to travel to B&Q from Russia though, no?
@pkunzip doom2.zip: If they can’t be arsed to go to B&Q for a nice bit of covering for the World Cup final then they shouldn’t have been hosting. It’s only 3000km or so. They’d have known by Thursday about the chance of rain so could easily have driven there and back if they didn’t make too many unnecessary stops.
You’d think they’d get the French and Croatian presidents some umberellas
@Skybloo:
I reckon the Croatian PM won that wet jersey competition.
@Tweed Cap: lmao … really laughed at that
@Tweed Cap: she didn’t want an umbrella, I wonder why …..
Meanwhile thousands continue to die on the Ukraine border but hey football is more important…..
@Red Ruskie: If the world leaders of 2014 (Obama and the likes) weren’t so weak in dealing with the Russians, the situation there may have been much better now. Unfortunately, the weak decision not to send advanced, offensive weapons to the Ukrainians was another foreign policy fail by weak Obama.
Can you imagine how different the situation in Eastern Ukraine might be now if the Ukrainian forces had access to Javelin missiles?
@Low Energy Jeb: And if he had? Every single Trump supporter would be slating him for being a “warmonger” if he had done that, like they say about him re: Syria.
I don’t think he had a particularly strong foreign policy but the inconsistent jabs at the guy get really tiring after a while.
@Low Energy Jeb: and if the past could be changed that’d be great but since it can’t why not talk about the failings of the here and now?
@ihcalaM: Obama’s foreign policy was terrible. He basically gave up Ukraine in order to get Russian approval for the Iran deal; a deal which strengthened Iran’s ability to fight proxy wars around the Middle East.
If the leader of the free world and commander in chief of the world’s most powerful military, Democrat or Republican, decides to draw a red line in the sand, they better abide by that line. Whether the opposition agrees or not with it. Obama’s problem is he didn’t lead. He deferred his leadership to others.
Although just an opinion, I believe he was always weighted down by his title of Nobel peace laureate. His decisions were weak…
@Dave O Keeffe: Dave, the issue at hand is dealing with the problems of the here and now. But let’s point out where the origins of those problems arise from. The idea that the failings in Syria, Ukraine, or Iran have anything to do with Trump is nonsense.
These are Obama failures. Let’s hope Trump can at least improve on them…
@Red Ruskie: i didn’t see anybody claim that football was ‘more important’ – but i do believe that its important that sport can be a really positive thing and theres tons of examples where it can help people to break down barriers – it was fantastic today to see a country like Croatia – who had the bloody civil was in the 90s – compete in the world cup finals and bring so much joy to their country.
@Red Ruskie: Iraqi,Afghanistan, Lybia, Syria… yes the Russians have questions to answer, but maybe the same questions should be asked to the U.S. and the West.. very selective comment.
@Low Energy Jeb: and your comment addresses the here and now how exactly? Trump didn’t take office yesterday and the original comment was about continuing problems.
The trump hate brigade will spin this to..
@Dave Daniels: nah, you’re doing a good job of it there yourself … you can spot a Trump supporter a mile off – jumps to defense and says something moronic before anyone says anything to warrant it … hold on – a bit like Trump himself actually
@Skybloo: haha, I’m in no way a trump supporter.. You cant spot anything!.. I do love the way people get so worked up about him tho..
@Dave Daniels: you made a very good impression of a Trump supporter … are you sure?
@Womp Womp: i think he could be one of the orange evil ones … the signature backtracking is a giveaway – hold on … Trump does that too!
@Womp Womp: we’d enjoy it too much
@Womp Womp: you are correct
@Womp Womp: nah don’t do little … do a big feck off one on their arse so we can recognise them by their limp
@Womp Womp: I don’t believe those Trump supporters exist
@Womp Womp: His Mam called him , School in the morning .
@Ken Hayden: His? Shows your ignorance
@Womp Womp: And no … when you proved to be a Trump supporter wanting to brand and harm the vulnerable, it was a reflection of your maturity and intelligence … kind of ruined the bantz
@Womp Womp: condoning what? … I didn’t condone anything … you’re the kkk supremacist supporter wanting to brand people of different race, age and ability … not me … I just want kkk fascist kiddy abusers and supporters of such, like yourself, to have a taste of your own medicine … I’m not the one looking like the lunatic here
@Womp Womp: yes, I understand satire … when it actually is satire and not just really bad trolling. I really did think you were an 11 yr old clueless kid – now I think you’re maybe 12 and trying hard at trolling – but still clueless. But I’ll indulge..
There are all sorts of Trump supporters – some that we will never make sense of ie, good mothers of children who support the guy who separates infants from parents and puts them in something akin to concentration camps because of their ethnicity, people of all colours who support a guy that has proven to be racist against people of different cultures and religions. Not all people are rational in their support – yourself is a prime example. Hey, even Hitler had supporters that didn’t match his pure race idea … heck, even he was brunette!
@Womp Womp: I have to say … I am flattered that you hang on to my every word though … or try to. Tell me, are you Oompa Loompa coloured like Trump? I’ve just picked up my kids from longitude – bottled orange people everywhere. Trump has a fake-tan race taking over Dublin the last 3 days.
He’s probably right..
@Dave Daniels: I doubt he knows he’s right, just saying what he’s told to say.
More Fake News…and the MSM wonders why people don’t take them seriously anymore. There are plenty of reasons why someone can criticise the Russians. Unfortunately, the World Cup is not one of them.
However, the MSM decide to try to make a positive into a negative by talking about umbrellas…what a joke they have become…
MSM – Enemy of the People
You wouldn’t mind but the editor of this rag, Susan Daly, was on here a few weeks ago arguing that they provide fair, objective and balanced news…Yeah right Susan, you run clickbait central similar to publications like Breitbart…
@Low Energy Jeb: The Oracle has spoken.
@Philip Mulville: Wow…what an astonishing, insightful reply Philip.
It is clear that you are the rightful Oracle with that contribution…
The world is beginning to look to Russia as they would have looked to America before the rot set in
@Joe Eugene Smith: ?????????
@Joe Eugene Smith: eh no, no they’re absolutely, definitely, positively etc etc not
@Joe Eugene Smith: Really? Im sure the Baltic nations would disagree.
France best team in the world by far.
@Jamie McCormack: Macron could have leveled the playing field by taking his jacket off once Putin got an umbrella
A portable tent as a back up might have been a good idea
@Joe Murphy:
Qatar needs you .
“Only Putin’s lads thought to bring an umbrella with them” is what should be the headline! There, fixed it for ya. FoC
Fair play to the women in behind .
@Ken Hayden: By the way @Journal , that comment got a 6.1 on your toxic meter .
How stupid is that , if you paid some programmer for that junk , ask for your money back . (7.8)
@Ken Hayden: you mentioned a woman’s behind.
@Dermot Lane: Yeah , I should have said ”women in arse” , saying ”women in behind” is probably deemed sexist .
@Ken Hayden: lucky you didn’t mention Pussy Riot
@Ken Hayden: Ah! The Journal’s toxicity meter. Try typing the names of a few political parties:
4.7/10 – Fianna Fail
4.0/10 – Fine Gael
1.7/10 – People Before Profit
1.5/10 – Labour
and the least toxic of the lot:
0.7/10 – Sinn Fein
’nuff said!
@Earth Traveller: fail, profit and labour are words that are frequently used in negative ways. Fine Gael are toxic. I’m guessing Sinn Fein get by on not being frequently used at all
Penny for lacazette benzema payet rabiot digne martial comans thoughts
@Michael: grammar, punctuation and capitalisation are my first thoughts.
@Michael: haven’t been good enough for their clubs , with the exception of Benzema who dirtied his bib along time ago
Anyone know the attendance numbers
@RJ.Fallon: are you after real or Trump figures?
@Paul Whitehead: Trump who??, no ,the real figures.
@the druid: Thanks. I think a little less than the all Ireland in Croker??
@RJ.Fallon: you were itching to get that dig in, there’s always one ga head. However, add in the billions watching world wide and its no contest.
No wonder Trump adores Putin.
He’s all alpha male; a man’s man. I look forward to seeing them bareback horse riding together through the tundra; wrestling naked in the mud of Vladivostok, chopping wood in the forests of Siberia.
I bet they both wear All Spice cologne and Y fronts.
@alphanautica: while he adores Putin no shit hits the fan
Mutual respect more like it
Proper order. After all the pre tournament hysteria it turns out to be one of the best world cups in my humble opinion. Give him all the umbrellas i say.
Well done to Russia and President Putin on a fantastic World cup. People talk shyte about Russia but I think allot of that is just Anti- Russian propaganda perpetrated by the west.
Complete moron. Never saw a soccer match in his life. He is a liability to the world never mind his compatriots who actually voted him in. Helsinki should be interesting.
@Brian Waldron: what do you mean?
@Brian Waldron: u sound like a sap
@Brian Waldron: As for your very informative information on Putin never seening a soccer match ,intelligence services around the world will be on their bended knees thanking you for that earth shattering intelligence. As for Helsinki maybe Trump will be able to complete a full sentence after meeting Putin.
@Brian Waldron:I think people like you ,Sir, are a danger to the world. Please stay firmly locked inside your Liberal cage. If you were in charge, the world would end up populated by dangerous, immoral, freaks.
Well done France, fantastic display from Croatia… As for the umbrella… Well the French were uninvited guests in 1812. Pay back time.
Put in has no time for the corrupt, greedy, liberal Western leaders. The moral is , bring your own umbrellas if there’s a chance of rain. He may be corrupt himself but I’d back him in any fight against our elite, power hungry, hypocritical leaders.
@Anthony Avenell: You’re utterly delusional.
It’s simply bad manners on Putin’s part as he is the host so should have insisted the umbrella be held over the lady first and subsequent umbrellas be held over the guests .leaving himself last.
@Irene Kealy: have you heard of the protocol and manners in regards of umbrellas and other security devices? The rules are very strict. It’s a no-no to offer them to other presidents and other high profile personas. It is up to the security guys to provide umbrellas, coats etc to their client ( president…) In time. Looks like Putin’s security guards were the only ones who checked the forecast…. And Macron’s security forgot his bullet-proof umbrella … So it’s nothing to do with hospitality.
How would trump know the World Cup was “one of the best ever “ ?
Whoever hes pointing at is gone
Had those other leaders not look at the weather report beforehand and had they no detail to look after them???
Trump, toxic imbecile
have your say