"The World Cup the way I see it, not being a specialist but a person who loves this wonderful game, the World Cup is going well, on a high note, with a lot of surprises. In fact, this is what makes sporting competitions attractive," Putin said at a meeting with former football greats in the Kremlin.

 The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will continue until July 15, with the matches being played in 11 cities across Russia.