The Russian national football team have achieved a great sporting feat, according to President Dmitry Medvedev, who met Russia's Euro Cup heroes at his residence in the Moscow region.
Head coach Guus Hiddink and his full squad which reached the semi-finals of the European championships, arrived at the President's residency on Wednesday. The Russian leader was presented with the official ball of Euro-2008 and the red shirt of the national team with president’s name on it. Medvedev said he will do his fitness training in the shirt. Then the coach Guus Hiddink pointed out the attacking capabilities of the President saying that the piece of uniform is definitely designed for a striker. After that Russia's new forward Medvedev had a swig of champagne with his teammates. He said he hoped that there would be more big victories for the national team ahead. Medvedev underlined that Russia's performance at Euro united the whole country. “You know how we’ve missed this kind of football and such victories. So after it happened and you gave us this outstanding win, no one in the country was dissapointed that we didn’t make it to the finals and only got the bronze. Only you know the cost of this hard work and at the same time it was an intensely emotional experience for all the Russian fans and for all Russian citizens,” Dmitry Medvedev said.