MINSK, December 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he watched the final game of the World Cup between Argentina and France with the score 2-2, then couldn't help but congratulate his Argentine counterpart Alberto Fernandez.
"As for the soccer match - I watched the second half, from the moment when the score was already 2-2. I watched extra time. Then, of course, I couldn't refrain from calling the [Argentine] president and congratulating him," Putin said Monday when asked at a news conference following his visit to Belarus.
The Russian head of state stressed that "Argentina is a soccer country." "People there are really very reverent about it, they love their players, including the leading ones. I think they deserve this victory," Putin stressed.
At the same time, he thanked both teams fighting in the World Cup finals for their brilliant play. "It seems to me that God has been on the side of the fans," said the head of Russian state. According to him, both teams in the final - Argentina and France - "created a real festival of soccer for all fans of sports and soccer in the world." "Both teams played brilliantly, so we must say a big thank you to them. Indeed, there was such drama, they fought till the last second. Battled very decently. But the strongest won," concluded Putin.
In the final of the World Cup in Qatar, Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout to win the trophy for the third time. The main time and two extra halves ended with a score of 3:3. Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria scored the goals of the Argentines. Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick for the French. The penalty shootout ended with a score of 4-2 in favor of Argentina.
tass.ru
