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The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko and Presidential Aide Igor Levitin.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Infantino, we are glad that you have a positive view of Russia’s efforts to prepare for the FIFA World Cup and Confederations Cup.

I would like to repeat what we have discussed with you earlier: the development of football is the key, or at least a major reason why the right to host world championships is granted to the countries that still have room for improvement in sports, including football.

You have seen today, and I have seen together with you, the conditions we have created for children and young people who can play football here and study in the school near this wonderful arena, which has been built for both professional athletes and amateurs.

Regarding preparations for the World Cup and the Confederations Cup, you know that we take proper care of and allocate many seats at our arenas to foreign visitors. We are working actively with the fans, and we will do our best to maintain the highest possible service standards at the sports facilities and to create favourable living and other conditions for the numerous fans, spectators and athletes.

I would like to thank you and your colleagues at FIFA for your support and for promoting the implementation of our plans over the past few years.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino: Thank you very much, first of all for having invited me to discover this place here. Because I think this is exactly one example of what Russia is and is doing.

Meeting in Krasnodar today, we have seen absolutely state-of-the-art facilities for the development of football. Not only the beautiful stadium that we can see but all the facilities with the beaches, with the compounds, for children to study, for their life and for their football career. So, education but also sport. And this is one example of many examples that exist in Russia that were also built thanks to the World Cup. And it is important that the world knows what is being done for the development of football, for Russia but for the world as well.

I was always convinced that Russia would deliver. Now, we see the concrete facts. So if anyone had any doubt on anything, now we see the results. And obviously, as FIFA President but more important, also as a football fan, I really invite the whole world to come to Russia for the Confederations Cup, for the World Cup and to discover an incredible country.

So really, my big thanks to you and all the Russian people for what you are doing for us, for football, for everyone who loves this fantastic game. It is amazing. I am impressed and I will continue to be impressed. There is still work to do and we are going to work together like in football which is a team sport and we are a team. Together we will show to the world what we can do.

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