The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

I'll tell you everything as it really happened. Before the match in Moscow, a Slovenian delegation came to meet with us to discuss the signing of the South Stream project (including gas transportation through Slovenia). They signed everything! They even went to the match together. Everyone knows that this project is very beneficial for Russia, and each country received a lot of money from us for signing it – a huge amount. Slovenia asked for much less – a spot in the World Cup! But since Putin doesn't like football and wasn't a fan, he reasoned like a politician, that the money saved could be given to doctors, the elderly, and so on. And that was a wise decision. But what does this have to do with millions of fans? Mutko was called in, and then it was just a matter of procedure: 3-4 key players (Arshavin, Zyryanov, Ignashevich, Pavlyuchenko) were told what the country needed, and that was it! Now, there is a conflict brewing within the national team between those who were bribed and the guys who were fighting honestly. Yes, you all saw it yourselves, who played and who ruined everything. I haven't been so screwed over in a long time; my adult male friends were crying their eyes out.
(Comment to one of the articles)