Thousands of delirious Russians let Robbie Williams entertain them as the World Cup got off to a lavishly costumed startRussia v Saudi Arabia - live! 4.19pm BST A Russian MP has encouraged Russians to have sex with visiting foreign football fans, a day after Russian authorities were embarrassed when one of his fellow parliamentarians warned against World Cup sexual liaisons. Related: `Have sex, make babies`: Russian MP tells nation to welcome foreign fans 3.58pm BST And with that, I´m going to leave you. Barry Glendenning is on hand to take you through the actual football. Enjoy! Related: Russia v Saudi Arabia: the World Cup opening match - live! 3.58pm BST The national anthems are played, while giant circular flags of the two competing nations are held by dozens of people in Mork off Mork and Mindy tribute costumes. 3.55pm BST Peter Tatchell update: he has been released, and told to appear in court later this month. 3.55pm BST Now Gianni Infantino is speaking. We were denied Rock DJ, and we get this? Where´s the justice? Not that Rock DJ is good, you understand, but it is better. 3.53pm BST Vladimir Putin is giving a welcome speech, which suggests there´s probably enough time to make some tea and/or weep silently about what football has done to itself before kick-off. 3.49pm BST Here´s Michael Hann´s musical review of the opening ceremony:It was, perhaps, inevitable that Robbie Williams would begin the 2018 World Cup opening ceremony by singing Let Me Entertain You, rather than Party Like a Russian, the 2016 single that reportedly caused a certain amount of disquiet in the titular nation. It was certainly a robust opening for British viewers, but one wondered if it had quite the impact for the rest of the world: Williams´ s stardom has been largely confined to Europe, and isn´t of the wattage it once was. Still, nothing hung around long enough to get dull - Let Me Entertain You faded into the soprano Aida Garifulina warbling on the back of a `firebird` for a ...
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