Putin thanks FIFA as Confederations Cup begins

St. Petersburg, June 18
Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked the FIFA for awarding the the Confederations Cup to Russia and for trust and cooperation during the preparation of the tournament.

More than 1,500 artistes took part in the opening ceremony here on Saturday, which was dedicated to the traditions, history, culture and nature of Russia, reports Xinhua news agency.

Putin watched the match between Russia and New Zealand on Saturday and thanked the FIFA for the event that takes place one year before the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Russia defeated New Zealand 2-0 thanks to an own goal from New Zealand defender Michael Boxall and a strike from forward Fyodor Smolov.