I’m back home after 35 days  in Russia. During that time I have boarded an aircraft 38 times, I have photographed 23 football games, 5 training sessions and 4 press conferences. All this hard work with only 3 days off in total. Russia has been a very hot country , with plenty of friendly people speaking almost zero English. However, being able to pick up  basic Russian and mixing it with Polish language I had almost no problems communicating with locals. As for the tournament itself it was a great spectacle of fun, colour and great field action.

Below is a small selection of my favorite pictures from World Cup in Russia.   

Copyrights: BPI/REX/Shutterstock  

10 years ago I
had my first football picture published in UK newspaper . It was
printed in The Mail on Sunday from Wolverhampton Wanderers and QPR match. It was my
3rd match attended ever and the first  and only
time I have missed the kick off and came for a game late … about 25 minutes late .

I stuck on M6 coming
back from F3 racing event at Oulton Park and could not do anything
about it .

At Molineux Stadium I have
parked at Asda superstore at the first available space and rushed to
the ground .

The stewards delayed my
entry to the ground struggling to understand what is my English rumbling
about  . I got pissed off , kicked a rubbish bin and they let me in. 

I sat behind the goal
having Wolves playing  at me first half . I have managed to assemble my 30d with
70-300 IS USM and they scored. Than I’d put together 350d with
Tamron 17-50 2.8 and the 1st half ended.

At half-time I have moved to have
Wolves kicking my end again. They score nice goal to make
it 3-3 late into the game  .

Somehow I  got
the picture out  smoothly to Professional Sport picture desk and then  got back to my car – No parking
ticket , nice.

Next week I have
received a cheque for £150 quid for that published picture  . A 150 pounds it was almost how much I was
getting doing a warehouse job for 40 hours a week .

Below my favorite publications in UK press in 2016 and early 2017 

A selection of images illustrating my recent  visit to Spain to cover Barcelona v Celtic , Real Madrid v Sporting  Lisbon and Villarreal v FC Zurich matches for Back Page Images / REX / Shutterstock 

Brendan Rodgers during the press conference before Barca v Celtic match

Moussa Dembele fouled in penalty box and later misses his penalty kick

Neymar scoring 3rd for Barcelona from free kick

Iniesta scoring 4th goal for Barcelona

Iniesta celebrates

Messi 5th goal from the remote camera placed behind the goal

Suarez 6th goal of the match

Neymar controls the ball using his back hill

Messi

Here is the view from my hotel’s window at the school football yard in Barcelona

Sporting Lisbon fans arriving at the Bernabeu

Gareth Bale  is fouled by Sebastian Coates of Sporting Lisbon

Sebastian Coates  clears the ball under pressure from Toni Kroos

Ronaldo

Toni Kroos  battles with Elias

Jonathan dos Santos  scores his sides second goal under pressure from Umaru Bangura

Team photo of FC Zurich

Andris Vanins of FC Zurich

Samuel Castillejo tackles Kay Voser

Going through the process of planing and packing before departing to Bordeaux later this week.