It seems a long, long time ago when Yuri Gazinskiy jumped to head home the first of five Russia goals against Saudi Arabia, in the World Cup’s opening match. The excitement and sense of possibility of the early stages transitioned to the nail-biting drama of the early knockout rounds, as the tournament tapered inevitably towards its final conclusion.

Vladimir Putin delivers a speech before the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Robbie Williams performs during the opening ceremony.
Fans travel to Mexico’s opening match against Germany at the Luzhniki Stadium.

The biggest winners of this World Cup, aside from either France or Croatia when they lift the trophy at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday evening, are the hosts.

The most widely heard chant at almost every game was that of the neutral locals, unimaginative yet emphatic: “Ros-si-ya”. The flag-waving and chanting was of a different order to that of recent years in Russia: it was joyous, unifying patriotism rather than the angry, reactionary jingoism of 2014 around the annexation of Crimea and the war in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin was a largely absent figure, restricting himself to an appearance at the opening match and a short meeting in the Kremlin with footballers.

Colombian, Argentinian and Russian women in the Orthodox Cathedral of Kazan Kremlin.
Mohamed Salah looks on from the bench during the national anthems before the match between Egypt and Uruguay at Ekaterinburg Arena.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi shakes hands with the Iceland players before the match at Spartak Stadium.
Brazil’s Neymar controls the ball with a back heel during the match against Serbia at Spartak Stadium.

In the end, these have not been the Putin games, they have been the Russia games, showcasing a nation that has changed tremendously in the past two decades, and giving it a chance to put on a smiling and hospitable face that few outside its borders knew existed. The country took delight in its moment of glory, winning over the hearts of many travelling fans who had not expected the warmth of the welcome, the long nights of dancing and drinking, and the pleasant and historically fascinating host cities.

Russian and Egyptians fans on the escalators of a St Petersburg underground station.

All roads led to Moscow, with almost all air, rail and road travel between the cities easiest through the capital. This meant Moscow became a fan hub, packed not only with fans awaiting games in the city but those stopping over for a day or two between the football. It was the World Cup of Google Translate and of Tinder, with thousands of friendships and relationships springing up between locals and fans.

Iceland’s Ragnar Sigurdsson and Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa at the Volgograd Arena.
Germany’s Marco Reus helps Albin Ekdal of Sweden during their match in Sochi.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo prepares to take a free-kick against Iran at the Mordovia Arena.
Denmark’s Thomas Delaney is challenged by N’Golo Kante of France at Luzhniki Stadium.
England’s John Stones celebrates his goal with Harry Kane, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Raheem Sterling and Jesse Lingard during their win 6-1 over Panama at the Nizhniy Novgorod Stadium.

On the pitch, it has also been a World Cup to remember. The lack of a clear favourite made for a gloriously unpredictable tournament. Only Egypt and Panama lost all three of their group games, there were very few matches that were so one-sided as to lack all intrigue, and just a sole 0-0. The shock of the group stage was the German exit, particularly surprising after their at-the-death winner against Sweden appeared to have given them a predictably German escape route from the group.

A Brazilian fan queues at a supermarket in Kazan prior to the quarter-final between Belgium and Brazil.
A woman with a Peruvian flag at Moscow’s Leningradsky station boards a train for Saint Petersburg.
An Argentinian woman is seen through a drum as fans dance and sing on Moscow’s Nikolskaya Street.
German fans take the underground in Moscow to the Luzhniki Stadium.
England fans chant on Pokrovskaya Street in Niznhy Novgorod.

Many nations had more positive stories, such as a Belgium team that dispatched Brazil in perhaps the match of the tournament, before falling to France. England, for the first time since 1990, made a semi-final, and briefly united the nation in the belief that it was “coming home”. It wasn’t, of course, but at least the realisation when it came felt less soul-destroying than at previous tournaments. Croatia’s appearance in the final is a truly extraordinary vindication of a “golden generation” that looked like it might never come good.

France’s Kylian Mbappé glides away from Argentina’s Nicolás Tagliafico and Éver Banega during the round of 16 match in Kazan.
Colombia’s Yerry Mina, Radamel Falcao and Juan Fernando Quintero confront referee Mark Geiger during the round of 16 match against England at Spartak Stadium.
Kylian Mbappé of France comforts Argentina’s Lionel Messi at the end of a match that finished 4-3 to France.
Kieran Trippier and Harry Kane celebrate with Jordan Pickford after England finally won a World Cup penalty shootout when beating Colombia at Spartak Stadium.

And then, again, there were the hosts, whose limited but spirited team made an inspirational run to the quarter-finals, seeing off Spain on penalties before falling in the same way to Croatia. “We achieved victory in the moral sense: the country was united, everyone was happy and full of joy,” said Stanislav Cherchesov, Russia’s coach.

Ivan Rakitic of Croatia scores his team’s fifth penalty past Denmark’s Kasper Schmeichel during the shootout at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
Mario Mandzukic celebrates with Ivan Perisic after scoring Croatia’s opening goal against Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
A Russian fan after the quarter-final defeat to Croatia at Fisht Stadium in Sochi.
Brazil’s Marcelo reacts to his team’s defeat in the quarter-final against Belgium at the Kazan Arena.
Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku talks to his team-mates before the semi-final against France at St Petersburg Stadium.

During the group stage, Moscow’s Nikolskaya Street fizzed with cosmopolitan energy, as fans from around the world gathered with locals in song, dance and drinking. And then, the fans started thinning out, especially as the well-supported South American teams headed for the exit. Peru, with the most glorious fans of all, were out after just two games, left to wonder what might have been had Christian Cueva scored rather than skied his penalty when they were 0-0 with Denmark in their opening game. Colombia’s massed ranks of yellow also left Russia after their team fell to that most unusual of things, an English penalty shootout win, while the vast hordes of Argentinians were left devastated by their 4-3 loss to France, powered by 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe, one of the tournament’s most impressive performers.

France’s Kylian Mbappé (second from left) takes on Moussa Dembélé (left) and Vincent Kompany of Belgium during the semi-final at the St Petersburg Stadium.
England fans enjoy the atmosphere before the semi-final against Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium.

Some of other big names offered flashes of intrigue before fading away in the knockout stages: Cristiano Ronaldo’s stunning hat-trick in Portugal’s opening game against Spain and Lionel Messi’s impressive strike against France, but neither of their sides made it to the quarter finals. Neymar played with skill and grace, save the ridiculous play-acting, but could not prevent Brazil from losing to Belgium.

Luka Modric celebrates during the semi-final victory against England at Luzhniki Stadium.
France’s Antoine Griezmann celebrates at the final whistle of the semi-final against Belgium at the St Petersburg Stadium.
The England bench look dejected following the semi-final defeat to Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium.

On Monday morning, the World Cup circus will leave town, with 64 matches played, billions of dollars of revenue accrued, and millions of cans of Fifa-approved Budweiser drunk around the stadiums. With the next World Cup in Qatar, Russia 2018 is likely to be remembered fondly for some time, providing a different picture of the country to many foreigners, and possibly changing the attitudes of many Russians to the outside world, as well.