*By Michael Teich*
Russia is still three victories away from hoisting up the FIFA World Cup 2018 trophy, but President Vladimir Putin may already be the tournament's champion.
"This is nothing but a diplomatic and political win for Putin," said Jeffrey Marcus, publisher of [The Banter](http://jointhebanter.com/).
Russia’s victory over soccer powerhouse Spain in Sunday's Round of 16 shocked the sports community and prompted speculation that corruption could be a factor in the historic upset.
The country already engineered to get the World Cup by throwing money around to FIFA officials, said Marcus, and now it could be motivated to influence the outcome of matches. Marcus himself said he joked in his [daily newsletter](https://mailchi.mp/7947f595e587/world-cup-banter-kicks-from-the-penalty-mark) that "this was the biggest Russian upset since the 2016 election."
But Putin shouldn't feel the need to rig the games, Marcus said, because the Russian leader's World Cup campaign is successful just by "having a positive tournament that has gone on without a hitch."
“He looks like the leader of a legitimate government and an open society where people are having fun and rallying around soccer,” said Marcus.
“All of the other stuff when it comes to Russian politics and what Putin’s been doing has been brushed to the side.”
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/why-putin-is-the-world-cups-biggest-winner).
Cheddar Innovates gets a look at the satellite that's searching for the earliest light from the big bang, plus a former Nike executive breaks down what the new era of sportswear looks like.
Stefan Olander, co-founder of sportswear company Omorpho, joins Cheddar Innovates to talk about his 'gravity sportswear' concept and why our workout clothes need an overhaul.
MARLOWE., the men's skincare and grooming brand, has announced 23-year-old professional boxer Ryan Garcia as "Chief Marlowe Officer" and co-owner of the brand. In this role, Ryan will help boost brand awareness, oversee product design, and strategize digital marketing content for his signature products. Ryan joined Cheddar to discuss the partnership and his boxing career.
A packed Thursday pod: Carlo and Baker cover the latest developments in the Ghislaine Maxwell, Jussie Smollett and Elizabeth Holmes trials. Plus, Dems are losing the Hispanic vote, Boris Johnson in trouble again, and is it possible that Adele has peaked?
Laine Higgins, college sports reporter for the Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell where she discusses the college football coaching carousel and says Lincoln Riley, Brian Kelly, and Mario Cristobal leaving for new schools this quickly is not normal.
The leading gaming organization and lifestyle brand 100 Thieves just raised $60 million in new funding closing its Series C. This new round of funding has raised the valuation of the organization to about $460 million. John Robinson, president and COO of 100 Thieves, joins Cheddar News to talk about what's next for the company.
Heather Smith, Founder and Chief Strategist at theHAUTEbar, discusses how the ski and resort industry is bouncing back after the pandemic; Mark Ellwood, Host of "Travel Genius" Podcast, breaks down the best travel destinations for winter sports before the 2022 Winter Olympics kick off; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Jeremy Jones' Higher.'
