Dear Diary

A day in the life of soccer columnist Kurtis Larson on the ground in Russia

SAINT PETERSBURG — If Russians are excited about this World Cup, they’re certainly not showing it.

Having covered major tournaments in France and Brazil and multiple World Cup qualifiers before arriving here in Eastern Europe, I can tell you those experiences were vastly different.

For instance, I saw as many New York Rangers sweaters (one) during my morning run along the Saint Petersburg canals as I did Russian soccer kits.

Yet there were plenty of fans donning Mexican, German and Egyptian gear.

It’s as if Tuesday night’s World Cup fixture was just another event in a Russian port city that, as I found out, is shockingly close to Finland.

I expected local support to at least approach the intensity I witnessed during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where it seemed like every Brazilian wore his or her kit for the entire month. Yellow jerseys were all you saw.

In Russia, though, this tournament seems like a nice-to-have instead of something other World Cup and Euro hosts were obsessed with.

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Security was pumped up for Tuesday night’s game between Russia and Egypt.

There were platoons of riot cops at every entrance ready to turn people away if they were at the wrong location.

Let’s just say these guys were serious.

They also didn’t bother to communicate. “Wrong gate?” I overheard a pair of Egyptian fans ask a helmet-wearing Russian officer.

Rather than answer, though, this group of militarized cops just looked straight ahead and blocked the way for these ticket holders.

When I showed up at the media gate a few minutes later, a group of cops looked down at my badge and stepped aside.

It was as if I was attempting to enter the Kremlin.

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I spoke with two Egyptians near the stadium Tuesday night who raved about Bob Bradley’s leadership.

The American coach — TFC captain Michael Bradley’s dad — managed Egypt during its previous World Cup cycle.

They called him “an example” of how to lead a life. Bradley came within a playoff series of taking the Pharaohs to the World Cup four years ago.