The video will start in 8 Cancel

The Daily Star's FREE newsletter is spectacular! Sign up today for the best stories straight to your inbox Sign up today! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Three Lions’ supporters said friends and family tried to talk them out of making the trip in light of pre-tournament hooliganism and terrorism fears and the political fall-out following the poisoning of spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.

MPs and foreign office officials had warned it would be dangerous.

As a result only around 2,000 are likely to be at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium today to see England try to qualify for the last 16 with a victory over outsiders Panama.

But one of them – 25-year-old investment banker George Hesselgren – said he could not believe how far Russia had surpassed his expectations.

(Image: GETTY)

George, who has spent the past fortnight touring the country watching World Cup matches with his sports marketing pal Elliott Church, 24, said: “We thought the risks had been exaggerated but really they were blown out of all proportion.

“The people here have been fantastic.

“Everyone has been so helpful.

“When we needed a taxi a young woman helped us out. She didn’t just point in a direction and say, `over there’.

“She went totally out of her way to make sure we got to where we wanted to be.

“She and her young daughter went out of their way to help.

“That would not happen in England.”

Elliott added: “Everyone has been so friendly.

“Whatever has happened on a political level and on a personal one the people have really embraced this.

“It has been a wonderful experience.”

Oil and gas company director Stephen Ogden, 50, who allowed his 17-year-old son Theo to skip school in the UK to go to the tournament, said the Russian people had won their hearts.

“They are such hospitable people,’’ he said.

(Image: NC) (Image: GETTY)

“Some do not look like they are. They may seem quite serious and some can appear intimidating.

“But when you make the effort to talk to them they really take you to their hearts.

“They are hard-working but at the same time fun-loving with a wonderful very dark and dry sense of humour which is similar to ours.

“We have met people who have never spoken to foreigners before.

“They can’t get enough of you. It’s really endearing.

“We have friends who are not here because they were in Marseille and frankly they were scared to come.

(Image: NC)

“They tried to tell us not to do it.

“But it is one of the friendliest World Cups I have ever known.

“We’ve not seen even a hint of trouble.

“It really is a most fantastic country – and the football is out of this world.”

Theo, who is running a video blog of his trip, said he had met the `friendliest people I have ever known’ at the tournament.

“The people are wonderful, the food is great, we got an apartment on Airbnb and it was amazing.

“As for Russian girls – they take your breath away.

“They are so incredibly beautiful and when you smile at them they smile at you and want to talk.

“That doesn’t happen in England."