Argentinian star Lionel Messi and Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin have both respectively been considered one of the greatest players of all time in their sport. But both also had decade-long-plus struggles to win a top-tier championship.
Ovechkin was able to finally break through after 13 seasons with the Caps and win the Stanley Cup in June 2018. Messi was finally able to make his claim yesterday when he led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup, scoring two goals and finding the back of the net in the shootout. It took Messi, 35, sixteen years to finally lift the FIFA trophy.
“Obviously, everybody knows he’s my favorite player,” Alex Ovechkin said after the Capitals’ morning skate on Monday. “To see him finally live his dream and win the World Cup, it’s pretty big for him and I’m really happy for him.”
This year’s World Cup was Messi’s fifth and likely last time competing in the tournament. With the World Cup being played every four years, it took Messi two decades to achieve his national title. Ovechkin was able to achieve his slightly sooner, taking only 13 years.
Both Messi and Ovechkin had difficulty getting past certain teams to achieve glory. Messi’s Argentinian squad had been sent home in three straight world cups by Germany (2006,2010,2014). This is similar to how Ovechkin and the Capitals had their playoff journey ended three different times by the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009,2016,2017).
Ovechkin apparently tuned in to watch his idol play in the finals.
“I think it was the best final,” Ovechkin said. “I don’t know how he’s going to celebrate.”
The two superstars first met in 2015, when Messi was in town with to play a friendly match against El Salvador. Messi met Ovechkin at FedEx Field, where Ovi had his fanboy moment when Messi signed his jersey.
He posted about the meetup on Instagram with the caption: “Just wow!!!the best!!!!! @leomessi !!!!”
Ovechkin’s love of Messi is so strong, his fellow teammates thought the perfect present for Ovi’s 1000th game was paying for him to travel to see Messi play in Barcelona.
Ovi has spoken publicly about his conversations with Messi that include mention of fellow soccer star, Neymar Jr.
“There was an opportunity to get to know Messi with Neymar,” Ovechkin said to RIA Novosti and per a Google translation. “Messi speaks English worse than me, it was easier with Neymar. By the way, he is a hockey fan.”
Messi seems to be having a blast kicking off the celebration so far. He was seen on top of a table dancing with the trophy in the locker room postgame.
LIONEL MESSI JUMPING ON THE TABLE IN THE DRESSING ROOM 😂
(via @Notamendi30) pic.twitter.com/WUTq3AmjKs
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 18, 2022
For continuing the celebration, Messi might be able to take some pointers from his friend Ovi, who led the Capitals in what’s now known as one of the best team Stanley Cup celebrations of all time.
Possibly Ovi’s most iconic celebration was creating the cup stand, where he had his teammates lift him up so he could do a kegstand out of the Stanley Cup.
The captain also led his team to dive into a fountain, where he proceeded to lose his shirt, do push ups, and attempt to swim in the foot-deep water.
Here's a closer shot if you're interested pic.twitter.com/r58vpkBjTs
— Kelsey (@KGras13) June 9, 2018
