A large estelada, the "starred" pro-independence Catalan flag, made it into the first match of the 2018 Russia Football World Cup. The first official minutes of the competition and, already, the first sign of Catalonia. The flag was clearly visible for the whole first half, then gone in the second.
The first match of the tournament, between the hosts and Saudi Arabia, saw the flag hanging behind Igor Akinfeev's Russian goal, clearly visible in many of the TV angles.
The first match, dominated by Russia against a harmless Saudi Arabia, was marked from a Spanish or Catalan perspective by the gesture in the stands, bringing the flag and the Catalan independence movement to international attention again.
Whilst clearly visible in the first half behind the Russian goal, it had disappeared by the time play restarted after half-time. Were they told to remove it or did they do so of their own volition? We don't know.
The reaction on social media
Social media didn't take long to react. As always, the reactions were a mixture of positive and negative.
Primer partit del mundial, primera estelada Russia - Arabia Saudí #Rusia2018 pic.twitter.com/l7OKbb0Pgk
— Marta Aznar (@MartaAznar_) 14 de juny de 2018
Translation: First match of the World Cup, first 'estelada'.
LA ESTELADA JAJAJAJA pic.twitter.com/DQuCrmD1YK
— Bernat Castro (@Berlustinho) 14 de juny de 2018
Hay que ser muy tonto para ir a ver un Rusia-Arabia Saudí al mundial con una estelada y ponerla para que la vean todos. pic.twitter.com/MRtJBpeMIn
— Javier Prieto (@JavierPrieto9) 14 de junio de 2018
You've got to be very stupid to go to see a Russia-Saudi Arabia [match] at the World Cup with an 'estelada' and put it so that everyone can see it.
Estelada XXL al mundial. El món ens mira pic.twitter.com/gapCTldRqG
— Eixelebrat (@Eixelebrat) 14 de junio de 2018
An XXL 'estelada' at the World Cup. The world is watching us.
Estelada al partit inaugural del #MundialRusia2018. pic.twitter.com/dWDeaJ0xSP
— Enricus (@enrictg) 14 de junio de 2018
'Estelada' at the opening match of the World Cup.
Qui ha estat l’heroi anònim que ha portat l’estelada al #Luzhniki de Moscou per al partit innaugural de la #FifaWorldCup18? #Russia2018WorldCup pic.twitter.com/A0lzbboaX7
— Marçal (@Marsal95) 14 de junio de 2018
Who was the anonymous hero who took the 'estelada' to Moscow's Luzhniki [stadium] for the opening match of the World Cup?
So that was the first appearance by an estelada this World Cup. Will it be the last?