MOSCOW, July 16. /TASS/. Almost 130 intelligence and law enforcement officers from 34 countries were involved in efforts to provide security during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with members of the International Cooperation Center at the Interdepartmental Operation Headquarters for Security at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

"I want to thank both employees of the Russian special services and law enforcement agencies and, of course, representatives of the law enforcement agencies from more than 30 countries. I know that a total of 126 representatives from 55 intelligence services and law enforcement agencies from 34 countries were involved in that joint work," the Kremlin press service quotes him as saying.

Putin expressed the hope that cooperation between the special services of those countries, which were involved in maintaining security during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, would continue.

"I expect your close, constructive cooperation will continue and will continue to contribute to efforts to maintain security of our countries and our citizens. "Of course, it is very important to preserve that spirit of trust that will help you develop partnership for the sake of common lofty and noble aims. <…> This is, certainly, a very good example for the future," he said.

According to Putin, the common objectives of the intelligence services in various countries are "combating international terrorism and extremism, countering drug trafficking and illegal migration, transnational crime and cybercrime." "It is clear that only by joining forces can we effectively cope with the challenges we are facing," Putin stressed.

Russia hosted its first-ever edition of the FIFA World Cup from June 14 to July 15. Eleven host cities, namely Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Samara, were selected to be the venues for the matches of the 2018 World Cup.

The national football team managed to make it to the quarterfinals stage of this world tournament, where Croatia edged them out in a 4-2 penalty shootout on July 7 at the Fisht Arena in Sochi.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy went to France, which defeated Croatia 4-2 in the final match on Sunday.