"Thank you very much, to all of you. You have to be extremely proud of what you have achieved, not only in the last few weeks, but in the last few years. I am very proud of you and I am very happy that I have discovered this wonderful city, that I did not know before," Infantino said.

Infantino added that Kazan was a unique example of how people of different religious beliefs could live side by side.

"It's a city which is incredibly rich in history, culture and legacy... But also a melting pot of cultures, religions and people. But this is something not only Russia should know, but the whole world should know, because it is an example for the whole world," he said.