The attention of world soccer is moving to Russia as the mammoth country is set to host the 21st FIFA World Cup in 2018. This will be the first time Russia has hosted football’s most prestigious tournament.

Russia hopes to attract fans with spectacular events after the one-year countdown to the 2018 FIFA World Cup was celebrated in Red Square, Moscow, on Thursday.

“This is a great opportunity because my luck started in 1958 when I played against Russia. Brazil won the World Cup that year,” said Brazilian soccer legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, widely known as Pelé, during the 2018 FIFA World Cup 1 Year to Go event on Thursday.

The attacking midfielder was just 17 years old when he notched six goals and a World Cup title to his name. He is considered by many as an unrivalled World Cup champion because he is the only triple winner of the tournament until today.

“That was a fantastic start for me,” Pelé said, referring to the 1958 World Cup.

“I hope we can stick together for the next World Cup here and hopefully, the final will be Brazil against Russia,” he said, jokingly.

Having Pelé as its brand ambassador, Swiss watchmaker Hublot will for the third time serve as official timekeeper for the FIFA World Cup, signalling once again its commitment to football.

Hublot will also offer the Official FIFA Watch for the 2018 tournament.

The World Cup is scheduled to run from June 14 to July 15.

The watchmaker will also serve as the Official FIFA Timekeeper for the 2017 Confederations Cup. This tournament kicked off in St. Petersburg on Saturday evening with an opening match between Russia and New Zealand. The company has made a “Big Bang” watch with straps bearing the colours of the eight nations competing in the Confederations Cup.

Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe said the Swiss watchmaker and soccer had enjoyed a long partnership together. “It’s over 10 years since Hublot got involved as the first luxury brand to partner with this incredible sport,” he said at the countdown event.

After the UEFA Euro Cup in 2008 in Switzerland, Hublot has supported the Euro Cup in Ukraine, Poland and France over the past few years.

“We have an important partnership with FIFA, which we established at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and continued in 2014 in Brazil. Next year, it’s going to be in Russia and for us, it makes us proud to partner with FIFA,” said Guadalupe.

On Friday, Hublot inaugurated its new store at the historic Metropol building in the center of Moscow.

“Our slogan is #HublotLovesFootball. But we also can say #HublotLovesRussia because to be here, in Moscow, for this great event, is fantastic for us — for Hublot,” said Guadalupe.

FIFA chief commercial officer Philippe Le Floc’h said the world football association was excited to see the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, set to run from June 17 to July 2, play out in Russia.

“It’s an exciting moment for football and for Russia,” said Le Floc’h.

“Tomorrow [Saturday], we will start the Confederations Cup, a combination of the best teams of the world — champions of the confederations. We, FIFA, are also looking forward to next year’s World Cup here in Russia,” he added.

Retired Russian soccer player Alexey Smertin and Valentina Yashina, the wife of late Soviet-Russian goalkeeper Lev Ivanovich Yashin, also attended the event. Nicknamed the “Black Spider” or the “Black Panther,” Yashin is considered by many to be the sport’s finest goalkeeper.

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