© Alexei Druzhinin / Sputnik
CNBC: Putin basks in the glory of a World Cup that has broken stereotypes and ripped up the rulebook
* Before the kickoff of the Russian World Cup almost a month ago, soccer fans were told to attend the tournament at their own risk, Russia was portrayed as a malignant player on the world stage and Putin was something of a persona non grata.
* Several weeks into the tournament and international soccer stars, pundits and the public have largely had nothing but positive comments and experiences in Russia.
Before the kickoff of the Russian World Cup almost a month ago, soccer fans were told to attend the tournament at their own risk, Russia was portrayed as a malignant player on the world stage and Putin was something of a persona non grata.
Several weeks into the tournament and international soccer stars, pundits and the public who have been to Russia have largely had nothing but positive comments and experiences.
The tournament saw the rule book of soccer tradition ripped up too, with some of the favorites — Brazil, Germany, Spain and Argentina — being knocked out early on which made for compelling viewing.
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WNU Editor: The Games have so far been a success. And yes .... visitors are seeing Russia in a different and more positive light. Take it from me .... Russia is a great place to live if you have the means and resources to live there, and Moscow is a very modern city. As for Putin .... no question about it .... to him this is the highlight of his Presidency, and he is enjoying every minute of it.
