Whatever confidence the Russian people had in defying preconceptions and exceeding expectations at this World Cup, few thought that could extend to the actual football itself.
The domestic generation born after the Soviet Union’s dissolution in December 1991 are desperate to present their country in an alternative light to the one blighted by corruption, violence, discrimination and political hostility often portrayed in the west.
This tournament is not yet a week old but nevertheless it can boast a promising start in the absence of any issues relating to security or fan behaviour.
And if that ranks as a surprise, given widespread concerns raised in the build-up, it is superseded by the remarkable performance of the Russia team, all but certain of their place in the last 16 after this 3-1 win against Egypt here in Saint Petersburg.
How things have changed. Ahead of the opening game against Saudi Arabia, the Moscow Times last week described this current team as “drawn from the worst generation in the history or Russian football” and “doomed to fail”
Aleksandr Golovin carried the hopes of a nation on his 22-year-old shoulders and while he was central to Russia’s attacking play, the key to their progress has been the unexpected improvement in other areas of the team.
Russia had not won a game in 2018 prior to beating Saudi Arabia 5-0 and so to back to it up against Egypt, with a second-half blitz of three goals in 15 second-half minutes, was more than many locals could have hoped for.