Euro-2008 1/4 finals

The Russian squad has beat Sweden 2:0 and qualified for the quarter-finals, for the first time in 20 years.

I am wondering if it will generate a renewed upsurge of 'patriotism' (read chauvinism) and eventually be mentioned in the 'victory' sequence, next to ice hockey, handball, Eurovision contest and whatever.

Winning all those is an incredible and rewarding experience. The only thing I regret to be missing here is the connection a) of all these items (the link between Dima Bilan and football) b) to the whole "Russia is standing back up from its knees" rhetoric of the propaganda.

Each of said events is valuable in its own right, without loading them with any extra meanings which somehow devalues them and draws attention away from individual achievements.