Even if Russia loses all of its matches, Putin is still the real winner of this World Cup

Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images

• 32 teams are competing in the 2018 World Cup, and while one team will come out on top, there's another likely to emerge as a winner: Vladimir Putin. 
• Russia's team is predicted to finish at an all-time low of 70th place, but despite the rankings, Putin hopes that soccer will spark a nationalist mobilization among citizens.
• Putin's goal is that, although Russia's national team may perform disappointingly low, merely hosting the 2018 World Cup will bring Russia citizens together on and off the field. 

Half a million soccer fans will head to Russia to watch their national teams compete in the FIFA World Cup. Billions more around the world will watch on television. Brazil and Germany are favorites to win the trophy.

But we already know one person who will emerge as a winner: Vladimir Putin.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Sneaky ways Costco gets you to buy more

See Also:

• East Germans are strangely missing from the country's powerhouse soccer team
• FIFA's video-assisted referees aren't perfect, but neither are human referees
• Japan's Princess Takamado makes a rare trip to Russia for the World Cup

SEE ALSO: The best photo from every match of the 2018 World Cup