With the World Cup just around the corner, this is a time for football-loving Russians like Igor Oleynik to indulge in their passion and open their arms to the world.
Oleynik is a magician with the ball at his feet. He has played football since the age of five and for the last ten years has been honing his repertoire of ball tricks.
So skilful has he become that three years ago he opened his own football academy called iFreestyle.
“I think it’s the biggest [academy] in the world. We have more than 100 students,” the 26-year-old told SBS News.
“It’s more than a business. It’s not about money.”
Such is Oleynik’s mastery with the ball, he and his very best students will display their skills on the biggest stage over the next month as part of the official on-pitch entertainment during the World Cup.
“We have our project inside this big event and for us it’s an honour,” he said.
Their first appearance will be at the World Cup opener between Russia and Saudi Arabia in Moscow on 14 June.
“The atmosphere, the celebrations. It will be amazing,” he said. But despite Oleynik’s passion, he’ll in fact be cheering for Germany rather than his homeland because of the respect he has for their brand of football.
“I hope Germany goes to the final and wins the competition. I don’t know about the Russian national team. In Russia, everyone loves football. But our national team isn’t like Brazil or Spain. Everyone here knows Russia will struggle to get results at the World Cup.”
Oleynik says it’s his duty - and that of other football lovers in Russia - to welcome with open arms the many travelling fans who are streaming into the country as the World Cup approaches.
Over 2.5 million tickets have been sold so far and anticipation is building.
Russians have purchased just under half of the tickets made available, with Americans, Brazilians, Colombians and Germans rounding out the top five buyers.
Australians are also standing up to be counted, having purchased 36,000 tickets so far - 4,000 more than the next nearest country, England.
