The Russian Football Union (RFU) and the German Football Association (DFB) signed a memorandum on cooperation, according to reports.

The President of both associations Vitaly Mutko and Reinhard Grindel respectively were in unison as they signed the document at the office of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of Russia 2018 World Cup campaign.

They agreedon a number of issues, with a friendly game between both sides ticked off. They had agreed initially in 2012 but they have now included more points as they seek broader cooperation between both bodies.

However, Mutko asked that fans not expect the game anytime soon. He said: “Friendly matches should be discussed separately. [The German team] have a very tight schedule. There are no exact dates yet.

“The memorandum, however, stipulates not only a friendly match between the Russian and German teams, but a possible friendly game between the two national youth teams.”

Last year, Mutko and his team signed something similar with the Italian Football Federation as they seek to relate well with the biggest nations in Europe. Continue reading →