By David Gold
January 20 – Dignitaries from the world of football and politics, including the FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, and Russia’s Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, have gathered in St Petersburg to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Russian Football Union (RFU).
The RFU was first created in January 1912 before later that year becoming a member of FIFA.
The Soviet Union Football Federation took over its role in 1934, some 17 years after the Russian revolution, and the RFU was finally reformed in 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet regime the previous year.
“Russia, the largest country in the world, has certainly made its mark on the global football map,” said Blatter, who went on to praise the fact that the country will be hosting the 2018 World Cup.
“Let’s look forward to the 2018 FIFA World Cup which will be staged in Russia.
“This decision was based on merit, because never before has Eastern Europe had the World Cup on its soil.”
“This World Cup shall connect all people of Russia.
“I had the opportunity to explain it today to your Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
“Football brings emotions; football brings hope.
“Take care of football – by doing so, you take care of the youth.
“Happy birthday,” concluded Blatter who, along with Michel Platini and the former Russian great Nikita Simonyan, was awarded a new RFU award for humanism in football at the event.
The RFU President, Sergey Fursenko, added: “Football is the game which unites everybody, irrelevant of who they are.
“Football is not only the game.
“It is also the people.
“It is based on the principles of fair play.”
Platini (pictured) sent his good wishes to the Russian National Team ahead of the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine this summer as well as wishing that Zenit St Pe