The image of Russia in the French print media: a new tone in the context of the 2018 FIFA World Cup

This article looks at the issue of constructing the image of Russia in the French quality press (the newspapers Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Parisien and the magazines Le Point, Le Nouvel Observateur, Paris Match). The content and discourse analysis of their publications has revealed the positive dynamics of the image associated with the level of organisation of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the hospitality of Russians, the improved infrastructure and the festive atmosphere in Moscow. French journalists are abandoning the tactics of one-side reporting offering the reader a multifaceted view of what is happening in Russia. Their publications are less tendentious and subjective. Nevertheless, it is difficult to imagine that “one month of football” can radically change the negative image that had been formed over the years. That image is rather connected with more complex issues, such as politics, democratic values and the mindset.