Putin wrote them off, but now

NOBODY believed it was possible. Not even the fans who unfurled a huge banner before kick-off with a picture of a Russian holding aloft the Jules Rimet trophy.

On it was the slogan: “You were born to bring a fairy tale to life.”

But not even the old witch Baba Yaga from Russian folklore could have predicted a night quite like it.

Russia were widely written off before this tournament. Vladimir Putin himself gave them no chance. Yet here they are, the lowest ranked nation in the finals, in the last eight.

It took penalties to do it, with Russian captain Igor Akinfeev leading the way by saving two in the shoot-out against 2010 winners Spain.

But no one saw it coming. No one except the players, that is.

They had been booed and jeered just a few weeks ago when they drew 1-1 with Turkey to go seven games without a win, their worst run of the post-Soviet era.

But full-back Mario Fernandes, an adopted Russian born in Brazil who does not even speak the language, said they never stopped believing.

“Before the World Cup no one thought we’d get here, no one believed we would get out of the group,” said Fernandes. “Only a few in the media supported us but the whole team believed in ourselves, knew we would fight. With everyone helping each other, we knew we could get something.

“Now we’ve knocked out Spain, one of the favourites. We just need some calmness. We deserve a lot of credit.”

Putin was so sceptical before the tournament he asked the team only to “play with dignity”, and in a call with coach Stanislav Cherchesov before the Spain game, praised the team for having “accomplished the impossible”. The