Published: 8 October, 2009, 23:22
Edited: 8 October, 2009, 20:01
While Russian football fans are busy discussing just how their heroes can beat Germany, another conversation starter could be the team's new sponsor which, indeed, has very close ties to their opponents.
The sign in the center of Moscow says WE SUPPORT RUSSIA ON OCTOBER 10.
Just to the left of it is a modest logo of the Russian national team's title sponsor, world renowned German auto manufacturer Volkswagen.
Today's economy is no longer a stranger to what most fans would consider a paradox.
The head of the company's Russian division, Frank Wittemann, is one of the VIP guests at Saturday's match, but who will he root for?
”We are the Russian daughter of this German company, and of course we’re very close to our Russian customers and Russia. We want to show this, and I believe there’s no better way to show it than to support the pride of Russia, which is the national football team,” says Wittemann.
Football’s popularity in Russia has been going through something of a renaissance due to the team’s rising success in the last couple of years.
Since the triumphant victory over England in 2007 that helped the team reach the final stage of the European Championship, Russians has acquired more faith in this squad than ever.
So it's only natural that this wave of patriotism produced some interesting results when RT’s correspondent polled people on the street.
The question to Russian fans was what would be their reaction if the situation was reversed and a Russian company sponsored a foreign national team?
“I would have lost all interest in that company and its products. A company from Russia should sponsor and support its native team, but of course not the rivals,” one fan says.
“It’s the same situation like the one at the European Championship, when Guus Hiddink – a Dutch man – won with Russia’s team against the Netherlands. I think that Dutch fans will never forget it. But business is business. Volkswagen is interested in developing its trademark in Russia. For them, it’s just another PR campaign,” another man argues.
German fans, who arrived for the match a few days earlier, had a more pragmatic view.
RT’s question to them was, of course, how they would view this sponsorship if Germany lost.
”It shouldn’t matter where you’re from. It’s just support to people. It’s cool,” a German expat says.
”It’s no problem for us. Nowadays Gazprom is sponsoring Schalke 04 – a very famous German soccer club in North Rhine-Westphalia,” another German citizen echoes him.
There are just as many opinions as there are fans. Regardless of what an ordinary person may say, globalization is relentlessly moving forward. And brand names, be it Volkswagen or any other multinational company, will continue to expand and sponsor the world of sport in whatever country they may be.