Russia’s World Cup heroes will meet with a huge army of their supporters during Fan Fest at Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills) on Sunday, following their return to Moscow after their exit from the tournament.
“The Russian team have finished their World Cup run, reaching the quarter-final,” the Russian Football Union wrote on its website.
“The team’s performance turned out to be miraculous. It’s of great importance for us to thank our fans for their support, without which we couldn’t have reached such results.
“On Sunday, July 8, the Russian footballers will meet with fans at the Fan zone on Vorobyovy Gory. The free event is scheduled for 4pm (entrance will be opened at 2pm). Thank you very much, we are waiting for you!”
The Sbornaya produced a stunning result at the home World Cup, having advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
On Saturday, Stanislav Cherchesov’s men lost a nail-biting game to Croatia, who were more clinical in the penalty shootout to book a spot in the semi-finals.
Despite the team’s heartbreaking defeat, the entire country, including fans and pundits, praised the players for their heroic World Cup display.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin invited the players and the team manager to the Kremlin to discuss their historic World Cup run, which greatly exceeded all pre-tournament expectations.