Most people have cheese to thank for at least a few successes in their lives. But could it be that France’s apparent triumphs in the 2018 FIFA World Cup is due to Russian cheese (as opposed to years of intense physical training and mental acumen)?
Sirota’s dairy factory Russky Parmezan has supplied the French FIFA 2018 French soccer team with 400 kgs of Kolmogorovsky (his take on Dutch gouda) and jars of yoghurt, which has been sent straight to the hotel where the players are staying. The Russky Parmezan headquarters are located less than two kilometres from their lodgings.
“I understand what the secret of the French team is,” Sirota told Reuters. “They just fill themselves with good cheese, they eat it and win.” Seems like a perfectly accurate assessment of what’s transpired. No fact-checking necessary!
Russky Parmezan's owner Oleg Sirota at work on site. Source: Getty Images
The French team has won three games so far (most recently against Argentina, in a showdown deemed an "instant World Cup Classic"), which means they're playing against Uruguay in a quarter-final match this weekend. The real question is: have they eaten enough Russian cheese to see them through to the next round?
Jokes aside, Sirota’s Moscow-based business has played an important part in Russia’s dairy economy since the company's inception in 2015. The 30-year-old IT specialist established the Russka Parmezan factory after Russia restricted the import of foods from European countries in 2014 (a move that was basically retaliation against the international sanctions initially placed on Russia) – so that's why Russky Parmezan crafts varieties like Camembert and Emmental. The idea, essentially, was to fill the Euro-cheese-shaped hole in the Russian food scene. In quantities higher than five kilograms, cheese brought into the country from European countries is considered contraband – so Oleg’s pride in his own, distinctly Russian varieties is unsurprising.
I understand what the secret of the French team is. They just fill themselves with good cheese, they eat it and win.
The embargo (enacted by the Russian government) on meat, dairy, fruit and vegetable products runs through until December this year, so the time to ply the French team with Russian cheese is now. The bans were a reaction against actions placed on Russia as a result of its annexation of Crimea, a move which Sirota reportedly supports.
Does cheese have the power to transcend politics? Sirota seems to think so. “Maybe we’re not the champions in soccer, but at least we’re the champions in protectionism.” In the case of the French soccer team, “the stomach prevailed over the mind”, he told Reuters.
Oleg Sirota created Russky Parmezan in response to a ban on international cheese imports. (Getty Images) Source: Getty Images
Tune in to this Saturday’s match to see whether Sirota’s claims are vindicated – because if the French prevail over Uruguay, it’s almost certainly because of the cheese they’ve been eating.
SBS will broadcast all remaining FIFA World Cup Russia 2018™matches. Find out how you can watch them on SBS. #WeAllSpeakFootball
