THE French President
Emmanuel Macron was spotted at tonight’s
World Cup semi-final match supporting
France as they take on
Belgium.
Mr Macron was in a box with Belgium's
Queen Mathilde and
King Philippe and the Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders.
The French President jumped up in celerbration as Samuel Umtiti scored France's first goal of the match by heading it into the net to put them ahead of Belguim.
He then turned the Belgian King and shook his hand.
Mr Macron is an avid football fan as he can be seen anxiously watching his team play in St Petersburg, Russia.
France will play either Croatia or England in Sunday's final.
Mr Macron was last in St Petersburg in May for an economic forum. While he was there he did say he would return to Russia if France made it to the semi-final of the World Cup.
France defeated Uruguary 2-0 in their quarter-final match last Friday.
A French Elysee official confirmed that Macron was going to fly out to the match today by saying: "Yes, he will go."
The official said Mr Macron would only travel to Russia for the only game and that he has no other plans while in country.
The Kremlin reportedly welcomed Macron's decision. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA news agency: "We are happy that the president of France is coming."
Mr Macron's flash visit to Russia comes as his popularity at home is plummenting to an all-time low.
His popularity reportedly dropped after Mr Macron ordered a swimming pool to be built on the grounds of the presidential summer retreat on the French Rivieria to avoid him and his wife Bridgette from being harrassed by paparazzi.
This purchase is earning him the nickname the "president of the rich" as he had already previously bought a china set worth about £44,000 (€50,000).
The pool is expected to cost taxpayers £13,000 (€15,000).
The swimming pool is being built for “security reasons,” according to the Elysée. Because while the presidential retreat has its own private beach, it not protected from the prying eyes of the paparazzi as it abuts a public beach area.
Bridgette was not spotted with Mr Macron at the semi-final match.
In July, two surveys showed his approval score went from a low-40s recorded in January to an all-time low of 32 percent in one poll and 34 percent in another.
Bruno Cautrès of CEVIPOF, a polling analysis institute, argued this blow may be lethal for the French President, saying: “All these themes of ‘president of the rich’ and ‘president far from the people’ are strong, structured, and unlikely to fix themselves.
“Most of what he has lost in the last few months has been support on the left.”
On the Right, Lydia Guirous, spokeswoman for the Republicans, added: “The president’s profligate behaviour is shocking at a time when he is asking ever more efforts from the French.”
Despite having a full control over parliament, Mr Macron’s plunging approval may mean trouble ahead of next year’s European Parliament elections.