German Legend Lothar Matthaus was given the honour of unveiling the World Cup Trophy
With 10 days to go until the 2018 World Cup gets underway at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, the tournament’s trophy finally arrived in the city.
To much excitement, the gathered crowd saw Germany legend Lothar Matthaus, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and tournament ambassador Liasan Utiasheva unveiled the desired golden trophy.
Kept in a black bag, Matthaus, who won the World Cup with Germany in Italy in 1990, did not keep the crowd waiting too long as he held the trophy aloft amid a sea of coloured confetti.
After years of build-up and preparation, the tournament is now a matter of days away and begins on June 14 with hosts Russia taking on Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium.
While Matthaus is one of the lucky few to get hold of the trophy, it remains to be seen whether his German counterparts will successfully defend the title they won in Brazil four years ago.
With the aid of a translator, the 1990 winner addressed the crowd in German about the trophy and what it means to win the tournament.
‘I’m very proud that I can present to you this special trophy here in Moscow,’ Matthaus said.
‘The World Cup is a special event across the world. From South America to Africa to Scandinavia, football players will gather to Russia.
‘From June 14 to July 15, Russia will be the centre of the world.’