Alexander Zhukov: “It is important that at the matches our football team received powerful energy from the audience”

ZAO Russian Media Group with the participation of popular Russian actors held a musical promotional action in support of the Russian national football team.

On the eve of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, workers of culture, show business, politics and sports expressed their support for the Russian team. This initiative was aimed at giving the players a feeling of support not only win and succeed, but regardless of the circumstances, because they are our country’s team, our hope and pride.

Actors, athletes, public and political figures stood together, expressing their unconditional support to Russian football players and national sports in general.

Kristina Orbakaite, Alexander Marshal, Elena Sever, Zara, UrKiss, MakSim, Yulianna Karaulova, together with the band Zemlyane recorded the Russian fans’ song called ‘Go for It, Russia!’, lyric by Mikhail Gutseriev. They also expressed their  support to the athletes and played the role of fans in the music video, filmed in the Fischt (Sochi) and  the Otkrytie Arena (Moscow) stadiums.

 Members of the national team: Yuri Zhirkov, Alexander Kokorin, Denis Glushakov, Alexander Samedov, Dmitry Kombarov and other players of the Spartak  and Zenit Football Clubs, also took part in filming the video.

‘We all are looking forward to the World Cup, such a large-scale event. I hope that our joint musical creative project will help the team feel our support them’,  said the actress, singer and TV presenter Elena Sever.

‘I hope that the joint work of actors and like-minded people will create the right mood for our players and fans. A lot depends on those (and we are among them) who support our guys in the stands’, said the singer Christina Orbakaite.

Poet Mikhail Gutseriev, representing the Zemlyane band and its leading singer Ruslan Shchukin, said: ‘This song is about football, about our love for Russia, and that we should strive to be better than others.’

Among the honored guests, the event was attended by President of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on information policy and interaction with the media Alexey Pushkov, State Duma Deputy, 13-time Paralympic champion, 18-time world champion, 43-time European champion, Vice-President of the Paralympic Committee of Russia Rima Batalova, Chairman of the state Duma Committee on Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs Mikhail Degtyarev.

Many famous athletes, including Olympic judo champion Tagir Khaibulaev Olympic and wrestling champion David Musulbes came to support the action.

Alexander Zhukov: ‘Fantastic support of the Russian fans helped our athletes to perform brilliantly in Sochi. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of crowded stands that create an indescribable atmosphere. It is important that the matches our football team received just the same powerful energy from the audience. Then the desired result will be much easier to achieve.’

The Ambassador of the 2018 World Cup, Victoria Lopyreva, gave a speech:

‘Now it is especially important for all of us to unite around football, around our national team, and to host the best World Cup in the history! I hope that this song will attract even more fans and remind everyone that regardless of their profession or place of residence, we should all become volunteers and demonstrate our Russian hospitality. And, of course, we will all support the national team! Russia, go for it!’

The actress Anna Peskova also expressed her words of support.