The 42-year-old ex-Sale player takes up his new post at Edgeley Park, having guided the Russian national side to this year's World Cup in New Zealand.
He has led the west London side to the English FA Cup and finally fulfilled the ambitions of the club's Russian owner Roman Abramovich in lifting Europe's top club prize.
The Black Sea resort city of Sochi will host the Winter Olympic Games and the reinstated Russian Grand Prix in 2014, and Russia will host the FIFA World Cup in 2018, with many hotel chains around the country investing in anticipation.
With a handful of players with international league experience (Cha Jong-Hyok plays for Swiss FC Wil in Europe, and three others are on Japanese J-League and Russian teams), the team fell short in the group stage of the World Cup finals but played some brilliant soccer along the way and just may have created an opportunity for history.
FORBES: Ping-Pong Diplomacy For China, Soccer For North Korea?
"You have entrusted us with the Fifa World Cup for 2018 and I can promise you will never regret it, " said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.
Not only has Sharapova failed to play in front of her Russian fans in recent years, she has also declined to play for her country in the Fed Cup, the women's version of the Davis Cup.
The Russian press attributes the fuss to sour grapes after Russia trounced England in the contest to host the football World Cup in 2018.
Sitting in a leather chair, wearing a black T-shirt and speaking in Russian, he frequently leaned back in and put his hands behind his head, and sipped from a coffee cup as explained how he and partners started a website in 2010 to create a Facebook-like environment for people with kinky fantasies.
The big-serving Russian, who is the world number seven, is aiming to secure his place in the season-ending Masters Cup for the top eight players in the rankings.
Zenit impressed with an attractive counter-attacking style en route to Uefa Cup glory last season and the same style had United on the back foot throughout, particularly down the Russian side's right, where Patrice Evra had a torrid time in the opening half.
应用推荐