“RIP KING”: Alexander Ovechkin Joins NHL World To Pay Tribute to Pelé As Millions Mourn the Loss of Soccer Legend

Published 12/30/2022, 5:15 PM EST
Pelé, the greatest soccer player of all time, passed away yesterday, leaving a huge void in the soccer fraternity. Tributes have been pouring in from all corners and factions of the world for the great man. Sporting icons from every known discipline have paid their respects to him, by sharing a picture with the King alongside a heartfelt caption. Another sportsman who chimed in is an NHL great from Russia. Let’s find out how he paid his respect.
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Alexander Ovechkin, captain of the Washington Capitals of the NHL, took to his Instagram to share this short, simple, and heartfelt tribute to Pelé. Here’s what he wrote.
Alexis Ovechkin met his sporting hero Pelé at a dinner party in Moscow
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Ovechkin shared a picture of Pele sitting on a chair and holding Ovechkin’s hand, while Ovechkin was standing, albeit hunched, to frame himself in the photograph. He wrote, “RIP KING” on the picture and shared it. The backdrop seems to be from a dinner party where the two sporting greats met. Ovechkin is self-admittedly a huge follower of soccer and a big fan of Pelé.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alexander Ovechkin (@aleksandrovechkinofficial)
The photo is originally from June 2017, when Ovechkin met the legendary footballer at a dinner to promote the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Sharing the picture then, he wrote, “With the legend”. Regardless to say, Ovechkin, one of the greatest Russian sportspersons alive, was over the moon on meeting Pelé. He was invited to the event as an ambassador for the World Cup.
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Pelé was in town (Moscow) to celebrate the grand opening of a new Hublot watch store. He also released a dove at a scenic ceremony in Red Square during that tour. However, the 2018 FIFA World Cup was coming up soon, and the occasion served for him to promote it beforehand. The Dinner Gala was hosted by Hublot in TSuM, one of the most renowned high-end fashion stores in Moscow, Russia. The dinner party was branded ‘Hublot loves Football’, strengthening the bond between the company and the sport.
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Tributes pour in for Pele from sporting icons all over the world
Pelé had also met a fellow Hublot brand ambassador Usain Bolt in Manhattan, New York in 2016. Bolt used the same image to pay tribute to the great man. Cristiano Ronaldo, Sachin Tendulkar, David Beckham, Neymar, and Mbappe were a few of the many more who paid tribute to the King. US fans paid a special tribute to him, by telling the world that it was Pelé who made them fall in love with soccer. Pelé played for New York Cosmos, and the Americans were enthralled by his magic on the field.
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Pelé passed away after battling colon cancer for more than a year. He was admitted to the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paolo last month November, where he recently passed away. People might agree or disagree if Pelé is the Greatest Of All Time, but no one can deny his unbound contribution to the sport of Soccer. Do you agree that Pelé was the greatest footballer that ever lived? Let us know.
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