ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - What Vladimir Putin wants, Vladimir Putin tends to get.
The Russian president made it a national priority to win hosting rights for the 2018 World Cup in a fierce FIFA bidding contest seven years ago.
On Saturday, Russia marched on toward hosting football's biggest party when the rehearsal tournament, the Confederations Cup, kicked off in the $750 million new stadium in Putin's native St. Petersburg.
Russia's players duly delivered a victory their head of state had all but demanded this week by beating a poor New Zealand team 2-0.