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A picture taken from the International Space Station (ISS) and released by the Russian space agency Roscosmos on May 31, 2018, shows the Luzhniki Stadium, which will host matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Moscow, Russia. Picture released May 31, 2018.

2018 FIFA World Cup: Russia's soccer stadiums seen from space

Hosts Russia began their FIFA World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, registering an easy 5-0 victory over minnows Saudi Arabia in a Group A game at the 81,000-seater Luzhniki Stadium here on Thursday. Yuri Gazinskiy (12th minute), Denis Cheryshev (43rd, 90+1), Artem Dzyuba (71st) and Aleksandr Golovin (90+4) scored for the hosts, who enjoyed a near-perfect first day. They overcame the injury suffered by forward Alan Dzagoev in the middle of the first half. But his substitute Cheryshev scored a brace and young Golovin made two assists and a goal to more than make up for Dzagoev's absence. Russia were impressive from the beginning and threatened the Saudis with fierce counter-attacks. Russia employed pressure by earning multiple corners and after one of them was blocked, Russia regained the ball. Aleksandr Golovin fired in a beautiful cross from right to the centre of the box from where Yuri Gazinskiy headed it in at the left post past Abdullah Mayoof to make it 1-0.

Russia overwhelm Saudi Arabia 5-0 in FIFA World Cup Opener

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the FIFA World Cup open after a colourful opening ceremony at the 81,000-seater Luzhniki Stadium here on Thursday. Artistic performances from UK singer Robbie Williams and Russian operatic soprano Aida Garifullina were the highlights of the opening ceremony. Two-time FIFA World Cup champion Ronaldo of Brazil and Sweden legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic also attended. Former Spain captain Iker Casillas brought the trophy inside the ground.

FIFA World Cup 2018 starts with colourful ceremony

There are plenty of outstanding footballers whose skills will be on display at this summer's 2018 FIFA World Cup, in addition to the obvious superstars like Argentina's Lionel Messi, Portugal's Cristiano Ronald and Brazil's Neymar. Here are the Top 10 players to watch at 2018 FIFA World Cup.

2018 FIFA World Cup: Top 10 players to watch out for

Seasoned opener Shikhar Dhawan smashed a quickfire century to help India pile 158/0 at lunch in the lop-sided opening session on day 1 of the one-off Test against debutants Afghanistan here on Thursday. At the break, Murali Vijay (41 not out) and Dhawan (104 not out) went back intact, leaving Afghanistan to rethink over their strategies in their first ever Test match. Dhawan looked in sublime touch right from the start, punishing the pace duo of Yamin Ahmadzai and Wafadar for glorious boundaries before sending his Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Rashid Khan to the cleaners. The Delhi southpaw has now become the only Indian to score a century in the opening session of a Test match. With Vijay playing a sedate innings at the other end, Dhawan looked unstoppable and got to his seventh test ton in mere 87 balls even as the famed Afghan spin trio of Mohammed Nabi, Rashid and Mujeeb Ur Rahman seemed all at sea with this format.

Ind vs Afg: Shikhar Dhawan becomes first Indian to score century before lunch in Test

Football fans from all corners of the globe began to arrive in Russia on Wednesday as World Cup fever got into full swing on the eve of the opening game, an epa-efe correspondent in the capital reported. The biggest competition in international football kicks-off Thursday evening at Moscow's Luzhinki Stadium with an encounter between hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia, reports Efe. But there was a party atmosphere in central Moscow as afficionados from Peru, Colombia, Iran and Egypt, to name but a few, struck poses in fancy dress outside the State Historical Museum. Russia's World Cup venues are concentrated around the European territories, from Moscow to St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad and Sochi. The final is also slated to be played at the Luzhinki Stadium on July 15.

Football fans arrive in Russia ahead of FIFA World Cup kick-off

India have won the toss and opted to bat first in the historic one-off Test match against Afghanistan at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday. After winning the toss, stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane said that it is a historic moment for Afghanistan and that he is really excited for the match.

India opt to bat against Afghanistan in historic one-off Test

Colombia's national football team arrived in this southwestern Russian city ahead of the start of the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup. The team's plane landed at Kazan International Airport late on Tuesday, after which the Colombians headed to the luxurious Ski Resort in Sviyazhsk, some 35 km from the Kazan Arena. The resort - which opened in 2003 - is located in a nature reserve where the Volga, Sviyaga and Sulitsa rivers converge.

2018 FIFA World Cup: Colombian team arrives in Russia

Serbian hairdresser Mario Hvala creates a hair tattoo showing the portrait of Argentinian football player Lionel Messi on the head of a football fan in Novi Sad, Serbia, on June 10, 2018. - A Serbian hairdresser proposes to his clients to draw with scissors on the back of their heads portraits of football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the forthcoming World Cup in Russia. Mario Hvala gives his creativity free rain ever since, 18 years ago, he made with scissors a tarantula on a client's head after suggesting him: 'Let's do something different.' For the World Cup, which opens on June 14, 2018, he proposes to football afficionados to do the same thing with Messi and Ronaldo.

FIFA World Cup fans: Barber of Serbia snips Lionel Messi 'headshot'

The Brazilian football team, which is the most successful FIFA World Cup competitor with five titles, arrived in Russias Black Sea resort city of Sochi early on Monday. The five-time world champions will stay at the Swissotel Resort Sochi Kamelia and train at the the Yug-Sport stadium. The Brazilian squad will hold a public training on June 12, reports Tass news agency. Before departing to Russia, Brazil defeated Austria 3-0 in a friendly match. During the tournament's group stage, Brazil will play in Group E against Switzerland (June 17, Rostov-on-Don), Costa Rica (June 22, St. Petersburg) and Serbia (June 27, Moscow, Spartak Stadium). Apart from holding five championship titles, Brazil is also the world's only national squad to qualify for every FIFA World Cup.

2018 FIFA World Cup: Team Brazil arrives in Russia

The FIFA World Cup trophy arrived in Moscow on Sunday carried by Germany's Lothar Mathaus, following its biggest global tour in the tournament's history, with less than two weeks to go before the 2018 edition kicks off. Mathaus, who helped West Germany win the tournament in 1990, unveiled the 6.1 kilogram, 18 carat solid gold trophy - which has been handed to the winner of the competition since the 1974 edition - in an event held near the Kremlin, reports Efe. The trophy will be exhibited at Gorky Park and Pushkinskaya Square, where fans can take photos under tight security measures. Nine months ago, the trophy started its world tour at Luzhniki in an event attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

FIFA World Cup 2018: Fans take selfies with the trophy

Rafael Nadal of Spain powered past Austrian Dominic Thiem in straight sets to clinch his record-extending 11th men's singles title at the French Open tennis championships here on Sunday. Following his 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 victory, Nadal became the second player in history to have won 11 singles titles at any Grand Slam event after Margaret Court, who won 11 Australian Open titles, reported Xinhua news agency. He also became the first player in the Open Era to have won 11 titles at three different Tour-level events, as he had done at ATP Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open. Nadal, who led 6-3 in previous head-to-heads, broke Thiem's service in the second game, before the Austrian had his own response to tie at 2-all through a break. Thiem was the only player to have defeated Nadal on clay prior to Roland Garros for the second straight year, and his quarterfinal victory over Nadal at the Madrid Masters snapped the Spaniard's 50-set winning streak on clay. He displayed his lethal weapon of single-handed backhand, while being troubled by unfavorable performance on his first serves, conceding the first set 6-4. Thiem already suffered four double faults despite four aces at the start of the second set, while Nadal maintained all of his serves in the second set to move a step further at 6-3. Thiem save three break points to hold his service into the third set, but the

Rafael Nadal clinches 11th French Open title

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