On Wednesday 21 May - the afternoon of the Champions League final in Moscow - fans of two of Europe’s oldest and most famous football clubs, Manchester United and Spartak Moscow, met to play a friendly match at the N.A. Netto stadium.
The game was the third organised under the Football Unites banner, launched in Autumn 2007 by the British Council. Spartak Moscow fan club, VisitBritain and the British Embassy helped with the organisation of the match.
Celebrity guests
Among the guests were Paddy Crerand, a legendary Manchester United player and winner of a European Cup medal in 1968, Andrej Kanсhelskis, another famous Red Devil who lives in Moscow, and Galimzyan Khusainov, captain of the Soviet national team in the 1966 World Cup.
The event attracted national TV, radio and newspapers journalists and received wide media coverage.
Friendly relations
The match was played in a friendly spirit and after Spartak’s 3-1 win the players shook hands before being bussed to the Luzhniki stadium to watch the big match. Any disappointment Manchester United fans felt was soon forgotten as their team went on to win the Champions League final after a tense penalty shoot-out.
Says Andrej Kanchelskis: ‘I am very happy that Spartak and Manchester United fans have such friendly relations with each other. It is very important that fans try to find out who is stronger on the football field, not in a street fight.’
Men of the match
Spartak’s man of the match received a special gift from VisitBritain - a trip to Old Trafford to watch a Manchester United match, while United’s man of the match received Russian military memorabilia.
The match between Spartak and Manchester United was another celebration of the friendships that can be created through sport.
Find out more about the British Council’s Football Unites project.
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