A Russian Soyuz space capsule carrying three astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) has returned to Earth.
The capsule landed at 6:39 pm local time (8:39 am ET/2:30 pm BST) on Sunday, descending under a red-and-white parachute.
It is believed that the astronauts returned to Earth with a football that will be used in the first game of the World Cup.
Footage emerged last week of Mr Shkaplerov and another cosmonaut playing with the football whilst on-board the ISS (pictured)
Onboard were Russian Anton Shkaplerov, American Scott Tingle and Japan’s Norishige Kanai, ending a 168-day mission.
It is thought that Mr Shkaplerov has returned to Earth with the Adidas Telstar 18 that was taken up by Kazakhstan-born Oleg Artemyev in March.
As reported by Tass, the ball will now be taken to Moscow in time for the opening game of the World Cup.
Fifa has yet to confirm these rumours.
Prior to the March launch, Russian media focused on Mr Artemyev taking the football to the orbital laboratory.
He said at a pre-flight news conference: ‘We are taking a ball with us.
‘Possibly the one that will be used in the first game.’
Footage emerged last week of Mr Shkaplerov and another cosmonaut playing with the football whilst on-board the ISS.

It is believed this ball will now be taken to Moscow in time for the World Cup, where it will be used in the first game of the competition
The three returning astronauts landed near the city of Dzhezkazgan and were all removed from the charred capsule in under half an hour.
Temperatures on reentry exceeded 1,000°C (2,000°F)
Mr Shkaplerov was lifted out first, followed by Mr Tingle and then Mr Kanai.
The descent to Earth was caught on camera by Russian space agency Roscosmos.
The astronauts rested in lounge-like chairs as their bodies re-adjusted to Earth’s gravity after their five and a half month venture in space.

A Russian Soyuz space capsule carrying three astronauts from the International Space Station has landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan. On board were Russian Anton Shkaplerov, American Scott Tingle (pictured) and Japan’s Norishige Kanai, ending a 168-day mission

It is believed that Mr Shkaplerov has returned to Earth with the football taken up by Kazakhstan-born Oleg Artemyev in March

The capsule landed at 6:39pm local time on Sunday without apparent problems, descending under a red-and-white parachute
‘We’re feeling well,’ Mr Shkaplerov said to the surrounding media ensemble.
‘A bit tired, at the same time we’re proud to have accomplished (our mission) and glad to be back on Earth. We’re glad that the weather is beautiful. The landing was quote-unquote “soft.”‘
The orbiting laboratory now has a crew of three – Americans Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold and Russian Oleg Artemyev.
Another three astronauts are to be launched to the station on Wednesday.

Mr Shkaplerov was lifted out first, followed by American Scott Tingle and Mr Kanai (pictured) the last man to be removed from the Soyuz capsule.

The Russian Soyuz capsule was blackened by its fiery reentry but landed without any dramatics in Kazakhstan. The orbiting laboratory now has a crew of three – Americans Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold and Russian Oleg Artemyev