Russia continued their dream run at the FIFA World Cup 2018 as they beat Spain 4-3 on penalties to qualify for the quarter-finals on Sunday night in Moscow.
“This is unreal, no-one thought it could happen. And now people are starting to believe,” said Yulia Gordinskaya who had Russian flags painted on her cheeks.
“Of course we can win the World Cup! We just need a bit of luck,” she said after the game.
Street celebrations broke out almost immediately on a central Moscow square where a band erupted in a rendition of the Russian anthem as passing cars tooted their horns and men staggered out of a nearby bar waving Russian flags.
As darkness fell on the capital, fans leant out of car windows waving flags as crowds danced in the street in front of traffic policemen.
“This is a great victory for us, for the whole country, the soul of the country,” Mikhail Sitner, 34, from Moscow, said.
With celebrations in full swing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin, who did not attend the game, had watched it remotely from start to finish and called manager Stanislav Cherchesov to congratulate him.