World Cup Diary day 28: The end of the very long and glorious road

What a tournament. What a country. What a journey. Russia has surprised us all this summer, with this journalist as taken aback as any by the hospitality at the end of a thoroughly well-organised World Cup.

Whether Russia simply put on a good show or they actually are this westernised safe haven is something us foreigners will never truly know, but my word have they put on a well-oiled sporting spectacle.

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The journey has taken me from the Black Sea coast, lands bordering on serious conflict, to a Russian exclave sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland, and back to Moscow, Europe’s second biggest city.

The final was, unfortunately, not the grand finale the sensational tournament deserved. Croatia’s long-haul journey to the final had worn them out, but even at full fitness, they were going to be no match for France’s finesse. England, though, could have at least challenged them, but I am over that, honest.

Croatians easily outnumbered their French counterparts five to one in the Luzhniki Stadium, basking in their moment in the sun. They knew full well what was coming, but they were determined to enjoy themselves regardless.

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As is often the case at the biggest games in football, most of the attendees were not fans of either side at all, just wealthy “daytrippers” from Russia or other parts of the world, with the loser in it all being the ordinary football fan.

Extortionate tickets prices for a match of such grandeur does actually stifle the atmosphere. Several desperate fans lined the walkways to the stadium, offering to “work for a year” for a ticket, showing the type of super-wealthy match-goer they were appealing to.

The excitement inside the colossal stadium was palpable, though. After picking up my ticket through a phalanx of desperate reporters trying to claim the last few remaining desks, I headed up to my seat, to catch a glimpse of the closing ceremony – always quite the circus.

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Fortunately for all the foreigners in attendance the short show was actually not too embarrassing. Will Smith made an appearance to sing his World Cup song, which has barely been played in Russia, and that was about it.

The French celebrations were understandably wild upon the final whistle. Didier Deschamps tried to conduct his post-match press conference in a respectable manner, but was doused not in the finest French champagne, but in Powerade – ah, modern football.

Amid all the euphoria, a famous Tolstoy phrase came to mind: “In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” So that is what I did, to soak up my final few moments of a fantastic World Cup.

The volunteers were dancing on the pitch, before the mundane reality would hit hard the following morning. Fans from Bangladesh and Bermuda stood side by side for photographs, while locals bellowed out “Rusia, Rusia” one more time as they descended the never-ending escalators down to the glorious metro system.

Russia 2018 has been one hell of an adventure. The football has not disappointed, and neither has the hospitality. All the negative press was certainly unwarranted. In fact, maybe just maybe, amid the chaos on our own shores, we could all learn something from the well-organised and thorough Russians.