Best teachers of the "Football Magnet" contest honoured at the National Centre RUSSIA

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The 50 best physical education teachers, supplementary education teachers, preschool teachers and physical education instructors in kindergartens were honoured at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the "Football Magnet" contest. They implement the Russian Football Union project "Football at School" and the RFU preschool football development programme in 44 regions of the country.

The top 50 teachers received awards from RFU ambassadors: former Russia national team players Alexander Mostovoy and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, beach soccer world champion Boris Nikonorov, Director of the RFU Mass Football Development Department Olga Mashchikova, and Dmitry Barannik, chief methodologist of the "Football at School" project.

The symbolic team of the "Football Magnet" contest was announced at the awards ceremony. It included:

– Abdurakhman Gadzhimetov, the Republic of Daghestan, Multidisciplinary Lyceum No. 14 named after Hero of the Russian Federation N.E. Gadzhimagomedov in Kaspiysk;

– Ivan Zelenkov, Moscow, School No. 2097;

– Vladislav Koptilin, the Republic of Bashkortostan, Gymnasium No. 2 named after Hero of the Soviet Union T.L. Nurkayev in Oktyabrsky;

– Sergei Nikiforov, Primorye Territory, Secondary School No. 1 of the Bolshoy Kamen Urban District;

– Alexei Petukhov, Ryazan Region, Boarding School No. 26;

– Sergei Semerikov, the Udmurtian Republic, Secondary School No. 100 named after Vice-Admiral and Hero of the Soviet Union V.G. Starikov;

– Roman Syshchenko, Voronezh Region, Secondary School No. 9 in Rossosh;

– Yanis Shebut, Murmansk Region, Lovozero Secondary School;

– Ilya Shibanov, Vladimir Region, Educational Centre No. 4 in Vladimir;

– Svetlana Zvyagintseva, Belgorod Region, Kindergarten No. 19 "Antoshka" in Belgorod;

– Polina Filippova, Tver Region, Kindergarten No. 168.

"It was simply unforgettable. Until the very end, I did not believe that I would make it into the top 11 of the 'Football Magnet' contest. I had been working towards this for three years. Once I made it into the top 50, but in the end I did not get into the symbolic team. The emotions from the awards ceremony and the football stars are fantastic, but the most important thing is the award presentation during the break of such a wonderful match at Luzhniki, the FONBET Russian Cup Super Final, Spartak Moscow vs Krasnodar. All my life, I have dreamed of stepping onto the pitch in front of stands like that. This will be the strongest emotion of my life," shared Ilya Shibanov from Educational Centre No. 4 in Vladimir.

The 11 finalists will receive 150,000 roubles each and will be honoured on 24 May during the break of the FONBET Russian Cup Super Final, Spartak Moscow vs Krasnodar. Contestants from the top 50 who did not make it into the symbolic team will receive 70,000 roubles each. The remaining 250 finalists will receive 35,000 roubles each.