Queen Elizabeth II And Heritage In Sports

Queen Elizabeth II (Instagram @westham)

JAKARTA Queen Elizabeth II, who died at the age of 96 after leading Britain for seven decades, is not just a prominent figure because of her legacy while serving as one of the world's leaders.

He also has a big role in various other realms, especially the world of sports. The queen, who has been on the throne since 1952, is known to be very close and has an extraordinary love for sport and is a witness for many events in the world.

After his death in Balmoral on Friday, September 9 in the morning, the moments of presence at major sporting events reappeared. Various historical photos during his tenure were re-uploaded by many sports teams.

He was listed as a witness to the history of sports for 67 Champions League matches, 70 matches in the FA Cup, 20 Olympics, and 17 World Cups of various sports.

Queen Elizabeth II presenting the 1966 World Cup trophy to England captain Bobby Moore. 👑🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🕊 pic.twitter.com/ZREjqrZ2a1

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) September 8, 2022

Elizabeth II first fell in love with the beauty of the world of sports at her family's home in Scotland. According to Robert Jobson, an expert at the British royal house, little Elizabeth has even been the goalkeeper for most of the family's internal soccer matches in Balmoral.

The Queen's closeness to football has made her government always associated with this sport. Especially since the FA Cup final in 1953 or a year after Elizabeth II topped her throne.

It was May 2 when Elizabeth II was the first witness by giving up the winning trophy to Stanley Matthews, captain of Blackpool and one of the greatest players in history.

After that, the Queen's presence at Wembley Stadium became a routine until Britain won their only World Cup in their history in 1966. At that time the Queen was also present and gave up the Jules Rimet trophy to Bobby Moore.

This moment became one of the unforgettable moments during Elizabeth II's reign. In the future, Moore, who is one of the best-known captains of The Three Lions, recalled the incident with feelings of amusement because her hands were dirty when she waved with the Queen.

"I saw my hand... And it was dirty!" commented Moore. Moore self-awared because what she was facing was their leader. That's why she rushed to clean her hands so as not to get Elizabeth's white gloves dirty.

During her life to the end of her life, Elizabeth II's favorite football team has always been an important question. There are many speculations that the Queen has two teams that she prefers.

The first team was West Ham in the 1960s, when Moore was team captain. However, according to sources linked to the British Royal House, Moore remains trying to continuously maintain its neutrality in this regard.

Then the second team that Elizabeth II supports is Arsenal. It was discovered in 2007 when he received Arsenal at Buckingham Palace after the Gunners won the FA Cup.

Arsenal held a moment of silence before the second half of their match vs. FC Zurich following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. pic.twitter.com/fwAvZwKryO

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 8, 2022

At that time, Elizabeth II expressed a lot of sympathy for the Arsene Wenger team. After the meeting, Cesc Fabregas, who was also present at the time, said: "Ratu is an extraordinary supporter of Arsenal".

The Queen's admiration for Arsenal continued when Arsenal won their last Premier League in the 2003-2004 season with an unbeaten note otherwise known as "The Invincibles".

After the win, the Gunners received another invitation by Prince Charles from the Royal Palace to hold a reception.

Apart from being close to football, Elizabeth II also takes a big interest in horse sports. Not surprised if during the rule, Elizabeth II often bought pure race horses.

The Queen's horses could be used to win British classic races such as Epson Derby, Oaks, or St. Léger, as well as the Golden Cup in Royal Ascot. Therefore, it is not surprising that horse sports are known as "king sports".

Keeneland joins the world in mourning the loss of Queen Elizabeth II, an exceptional leader and an unmatched horsewoman. Her lifelong passion for horses and racing left an indelible legacy on the sport. We remember fondly her 1984 Keeneland visit. https://t.co/jbHAWV9431 pic.twitter.com/bh5nlgRVWs

— Keeneland (@keeneland) September 8, 2022