Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who came out of detention on the day the soccer World Cup began in Russia, has devoted much of his time lately to organizing protests against a retirement age increase timed to coincide with the World Cup. On Sunday, though, most of Navalny's Twitter feed was dedicated to Russia's round of 16 game against Spain.
"I'm so nervous I've eaten two bags of chips already. Going too grab a third," he tweeted during the match. "How beautiful this is," he posted after it was over. Spain's hopes were dashed and Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev was feted as a hero after deflecting two Spanish penalty shots.
The jubilation that lasted through the night had nothing to do with any propaganda goals President Vladimir Putin's government may have set for the World Cup. It had everything to do with the kind of victory ordinary Russians prefer to win: Fair, recognized by the whole world and at the same time slightly miraculous.