The World Cup has certainly thrown up plenty of surprises in Russia after what has been a successful five weeks, yet no one would have expected the tournament to end with President Vladimir Putin posing with UFC star Conor McGregor.

Yet that’s exactly what happened inside the Luzhniki Stadium as the Irish fighter was pictured with the Russian president ahead of France’s thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia, labelling him “one of the greatest leaders of our time”.

A day after turning 30, McGregor celebrated his birthday in Russia in the only way they know how, with the former two-weight UFC champion taking centre stage.

World Cup final: France vs Croatia Show all 95 1 /95 World Cup final: France vs Croatia World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris lifts the trophy after France beat Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia The France team line up in front of the World Cup trophy EPA World Cup final: France vs Croatia Croatia President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic greets President of France Emmanuel Macron alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Croatia's line up ahead of the match AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba is challenged by Mario Mandzukic and Ante Rebic Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris looks on as Olivier Giroud heads a ball AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe controls the ball AFP/Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Luka Modric is challenged by N'Golo Kante REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Diego Maradona shouts AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic controls the ball in the penalty box PA World Cup final: France vs Croatia Raphael Varane, Mario Mandzukic and Benjamin Pavard collide as they compete for a header Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Samuel Umtiti falls in front of Mario Mandzukic AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann takes a free-kick which assisted the opening goal AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Mario Mandzukic scores an own goal AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Mario Mandzukic scores an own goal from Antoine Griezmann's free-kick Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Danijel Subasic looks on as he concedes the opening goal Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann celebrates with Benjamin Pavard and Raphael Varane EPA World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate socring the first goal of the game AFP/Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Luka Modric looks on REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Raphael Varane, Mario Mandzukicand Benjamin Pavard go for a header EPA World Cup final: France vs Croatia TOPSHOT - Two fans pose before the Russia 2018 World Cup final football match between France and Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 15, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images FRANCK FIFE AFP/Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Marcelo Brozovic vies for the ball with Olivier Giroud AFP/Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic scores Croatia's first goal PA World Cup final: France vs Croatia Soccer Football - World Cup - Final - France v Croatia - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia - July 15, 2018 Croatia's Ivan Perisic scores their first goal REUTERS/Christian Hartmann CHRISTIAN HARTMANN REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic celebrates after scoring AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Croatia celebrate after scoring AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic handles the ball in the area leading to a VAR review REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JULY 15: Ivan Perisic of Croatia handles the ball inside the penalty area, leading to a VAR review, and then a France penalty during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) Matthias Hangst Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Referee Nestor Pitana gestures players away before referral to VAR REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Referee Nestor Pitana checks the VAR AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia The scoreboard showing a possible penalty review by VAR REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Referee Nestor Pitana calls for a penalty after a VAR review REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic argue with Referee Nestor Pitana after he awards France with a penalty Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Players of Croatia react while Antoine Griezmann (L) of France prepares himself to take the a penalty EPA World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann takes the penalty Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann scores France's second past Danijel Subasic Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann celebrates after scoring Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JULY 15: Antoine Griezmann of France celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty for his team's second goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Catherine Ivill Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ngolo Kante is replaced by Steven Nzonzi Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia A woman who invaded the pitch approaches Kylian Mbappe AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia A pitch invader and Kylian Mbappe high five REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba scores France's third goal Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba celebrates after scoring AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate their fourth goal REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia France's Paul Pogba celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the final match between France and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) Martin Meissner AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe scores France's fourth goal REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JULY 15: Kylian Mbappe of France scores his team's fourth goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) Clive Rose Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia France's Paul Pogba celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game during the FIFA World Cup Final at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 15, 2018. See PA story WORLDCUP Final. Photo credit should read: Aaron Chown/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. No commercial use. No use with any unofficial 3rd party logos. No manipulation of images. No video emulation. Aaron Chown PA World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe celebrates his goal with Paul Pogba REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris tries to dribble past Mario Mandzukic REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Mario Mandzukic gets the ball off Hugo Lloris and scores Croatia's second of the game REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris watches the ball hit the back of the net REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Mario Mandzukic celebrates scoring as Hugo Lloris holds his head AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate after the won the world cup AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Croatia's Sime Vrsaljko, foreground, reacts as French players celebrate at the end of the final match between France and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Thanassis Stavrakis AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia French players celebrate winning the final match against Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Natacha Pisarenko AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Croatia players dejected after they lost the match Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate at the end of the match AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Olivier Giroud and Adil Rami celebrate winning AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate following their sides victory Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic looks dejected after Croatia lost Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia French players celebrate winning the final match against Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Natacha Pisarenko AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Corentin Tolisso and Presnel Kimpembe celebrate winning the World Cup REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia France coach Didier Deschamps is thrown into the air REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate as Domagoj Vida looks dejected after Croatia lost Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Olivier Giroud, Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernandez, Florian Thauvin and Presnel Kimpembe celebrate winning the World Cup REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate with fans after winning the World Cup REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Soccer Football - World Cup - Final - France v Croatia - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia - July 15, 2018 France's Hugo Lloris and team mates celebrate winning the World Cup REUTERS/Darren Staples DARREN STAPLES REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia French players celebrate at the end of the final match between France and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Thanassis Stavrakis AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Philippe Lahm takes the World Cup trophy to the stage Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia epa06891249 Team members of France celebrate after the FIFA World Cup 2018 final between France and Croatia in Moscow, Russia, 15 July 2018. France won the match 4-2. 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(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Shaun Botterill Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba holds the trophy as he celebrates REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Presnel Kimpembe and Thomas Lemar celebrate REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Adil Rami lifts the trophy REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Presnel Kimpembe celebrate with their medals after winning the World Cup REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann kisses the trophy REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Lucas Hernandez celebrates REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Didier Deschamps kisses the trophy REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Benjamin Mendy celebrates with the trophy AP World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe celebrates with the trophy REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba celebrates with his mother Yeo and brothers Mathias and Florentin Getty Images World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris and his daughters celebrate with the trophy REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ousmane Dembele, Benjamin Mendy and Kylian Mbappe with the trophy REUTERS World Cup final: France vs Croatia Presnel Kimpembe and Antoine Griezmann celebrate with the trophy REUTERS

But after posting a video of himself and his entourage in Russia, McGregor bagged himself VIP seats inside the Luzhniki Stadium on behalf of President Putin to watch the biggest sporting event on the planet.

“Today I was invited to the World Cup final as a guest of Russian President Vladimir Putin,” McGregor wrote on Instagram.

“This man is one of the greatest leaders of our time and I was honoured to attend such a landmark event alongside him.

“Today was an honour for me Mr. Putin. Thank you and congratulations on an amazing World Cup.

“Россия вперёд! [Go Russia!]”

Putin meanwhile may have been busy hosting both Emmanuel Macron and Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, the French and Croatian presidents respectively, but he still found time to pose with McGregor in what was a collision of two unlikely powerhouses – albeit in very different circumstances.

Russia president Vladimir Putin poses for a picture with UFC star Conor McGregor (EPA)

It is unlikely to be the last time that McGregor graces Russian soil with speculation rife that he could return to the UFC in the near-future to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov in Moscow. The undefeated undisputed UFC lightweight champion is determined to fight McGregor, who has not been seen in action since losing a boxing match to Floyd Mayweather last year, and his return to the Octagon has been delayed by his arrest following an incident in New York last July – with his court case ongoing.

In an attempt to send a message to McGregor and the UFC, Nurmagomedov posted a video of him training on a dummy with the message: "UFC bring this guy, or give me the next one in line, lightweight division have to move. I’m ready."