The outgoing year has become one of the most successful for the national beach soccer team in recent years.
The main achievement of Mikhail Likhachev's team is, of course, the victory at the home world championship, which was held in August in Moscow.
It is symbolic that the celebration of the team took place at Luzhniki, where the Russians defeated the Japanese in the final of the tournament and became three-time title holders.
Prior to that, they won the trophy in 2011 and 2013.
“When it all started, the words“ Luzhniki ”and“ beach ”somehow did not fit together.
Why not in Sochi, for example?
It was unusual, and of course what we saw is amazing.
All the matches of the tournament were interesting, but the most exciting was the semi-final game against Switzerland.
You have shown that you have the willpower and the desire to win within the walls of your home, ”said Russian Presidential Aide Igor Levitin, presenting state awards.
The RFU President Alexander Dyukov and the Minister of Sports Oleg Matytsin also took part in the award ceremony.
The head coach of the national team Mikhail Likhachev was awarded the Order of Friendship, coaches Andrei Bukhlitsky and Ilya Leonov, as well as players Yuri Krasheninnikov, Alexei Makarov, Dmitry Shishin and Anton Shkarin were awarded medals of the Order of Merit to the Fatherland, 1st degree.
Football players Artur Ferorotny and Kirill Romanov were awarded medals of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree.
The rest of the players of the national team, who won international titles for the first time, were presented with certificates of honor from the president of the country, and gratitude was announced to the personnel of the national team.
“There have been many outstanding events this year, but certainly the number one event happened in August here at this stadium. Probably, performance at the home world championship is the pinnacle of any athlete's career, and we are no exception. This tournament was awaited with great anxiety and apprehension. Fortunately, everything turned out well for us, although there were many difficulties and difficulties that we had to overcome. But most importantly, we have achieved an incredible result - we raised the World Cup over our heads here in Moscow, at Luzhniki. I am very happy that we have inscribed our names in golden letters on the pages of world football, ”Likhachev told reporters.
In addition to the world title, Russian beach footballers have won the Intercontinental Cup this year.
Moreover, they became the only team in history that won this tournament four times.
It is symbolic that both significant achievements took place precisely in 2021, the year of the tenth anniversary of the first victory of the Russian national team at the World Championship.
“It's nice that we can celebrate two such huge events with our beach-football family, enjoy communicating with each other and remember all these moments,” Likhachev added.
In turn, the head of the Ministry of Sports, speaking at the ceremony, expressed confidence that the results achieved this year are not accidental, and that victorious traditions are developing in Russia, including thanks to development programs that are being implemented by the RFU and the Ministry of Sports.
He also advised the players of the Russian national football team to take an example from their beach comrades.
“Three-time world champions are an outstanding achievement.
The whole team did a great job.
And this is a good example for our great football, a powerful incentive to achieve victory on green fields - first of all, to go to the final stage of the World Cup next year, and then worthily represent our country in Qatar, ”Matytsin emphasized.
Dyukov stressed that the bright victories of the outgoing year will give "a very powerful impetus to the development of beach football" in our country.
“And we, the RFU and the Ministry of Sports, will do our best to support and develop this impulse.
I want to congratulate you on these well-deserved state awards, Happy New Year and wish you new victories, ”the functionary addressed the athletes.
The players themselves, who attended the ceremony, were in excellent spirits and were happy to recall the victorious moments of the outgoing season.
“Today we are seeing off a very good year for us.
Success at the World Cup in the home stands brought maximum emotions.
The match with the Swiss was really an early final.
And then we ended the season on a positive note by winning the Intercontinental Cup.
Cherry on the cake, ”summed up the national team defender Andrei Novikov.
And three-time world champion Anton Shkarin admitted that he was happy to meet at the celebration with old friends, "with whom he played in the national team a hundred years ago."
“I am very glad to see everyone, it’s great that we organized such an evening, for a long time we all didn’t get together.
As for the season, what can we talk about if we won the world championship?
They did everything for the top five, and the results are very good, ”summed up Shkarin.