Fans racing to learn Russian

BUENOS AIRES - Walter Morales has tickets for him and his girlfriend to follow Argentina in the World Cup, but the thrill of watching Lionel Messi lead the charge has come with a growing concern: Russian.

"I've asked everyone who has been to Russia the same question: 'Do they speak English or another language?'" said the 35-year-old lawyer. "But the answer is always the same. No, nothing. Zilch. Zip. It's a bit scary."

The remedy, Morales added, was to enroll in Russian language classes at the Cultural Center of the Russian Embassy in Buenos Aires.