In pumping up football-induced hysteria, Russian politicians – headed by then-President Vladimir Putin – took the lead. The government had erected the TV screens outside the Kremlin in order to ensure patriotic exultation of the victory that they assumed was coming.
在这场鼓动足球狂热的运动中，以普京为首的俄罗斯政客们扮演了领导作用。政府之所以在克里姆林宫外安装了大荧幕转播比赛，就是想借即将到来的胜利激发爱国热情。只不过没人想到最后竟然输了。