World Cup 2018 Countdown: a bear to make the first kick?

As football fans are making their final countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2018, here are some facts, as well as predictions, about the upcoming opening ceremony and the first game.

A football freestyle artist performs outside Luzhniki Stadium before the opening match of the World Cup on Thursday, June 14, 2018. [Photo: VCG]

Who will make the first kick of the World Cup? Russia's President Vladimir Putin has always been a leading potential candidate to perform the symbolic kick-off for the Russian hosts of the World Cup at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

President Putin, who is a sports enthusiast, is reportedly maintaining his habit of exercising for two and a half hours a day. He has yet to confirm or deny whether he will be the one to kick start the event. 

"It depends. As the head of the host country of the World Cup, I will attend the opening and closing ceremonies. I will check my work arrangements and if possible, I will also watch some other exciting matches," Global Times reported Thursday, citing a previous interview with the Russian president.

But the Russian president has a possible competitor to make the opening kick: a bear called "Tim", who passed a ball to the referee to start a Russian league match in April. According to people familiar with the issue, the move was reported to be a rehearsal for the 2018 World Cup, Global Times reported Thursday. 

However, the furry assistant on the pitch has caused some controversy, with animal rights campaigners condemning the incident as animal abuse.

The bear is the symbol of Russia, and is marked on the new logo of the Russian Football Premier League. But whether one will appear at the opening World Cup, we'll have to wait and see.

Football fans waiting outside Luzhniki Stadium before the opening match of the World Cup on Thursday, June 14, 2018. [Photo: IC]

What we do know is that some Chinese kids are keen to show their appearance on the upcoming tournament. 

Six children from China's Guizhou Province will act as flag bearers on the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony. And more Chinese children will act as caddies during the games.

The match ball of the kick-off game is itself quite special. It has just concluded a two-month trip to space, returning to Earth on June 3. The ball has previously been played by two Russian astronauts on the International Space Station.

The space ball will serve its role at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow at 10:30 p.m. Beijing Time. The opening ceremony is scheduled to start 30 minutes prior to the match.