Alexander Ovechkin - the most famous and wealthy Russian hockey player in the world. On Ovi account (so called fans), 525 washers, abandoned in NHL games, 14 league awards for individual achievement, three gold medal of the world champion in the Russian team. Signed in 2008 a record deal with the club Washington Capitals (to $ 124 million for 13 years) and numerous contracts with advertisers made from a talented guy who played before moving to the United States for the Moscow "Dynamo", the multimillionaire. Ovechkin is rarely in Russia, but Forbes was able to meet with him in Moscow and talk about its financial strategy, the game of hockey with Putin friendship with senior officials and future plans.

I always wanted to be first in everything

- Alexander, you, when visiting Moscow on vacation, here playing hockey for fun?

- Yes, sometimes.

- In the Night Hockey League?

- No, just friends.

- You are the most famous Russian hockey player in the world now. What do you think of who and what you helped to reach this peak?

- Helped parents and brother. They IUI have supported from the outset. I also helped the coaches, they took part in the upbringing of my hockey. But then it was a lot of luck in situations of "out - will not work", with love and respect to hockey, purposefulness much I got.

- Were there any difficulties in your way, that you have not been told until now?

- Difficulties and obstacles have always been, they can be a very long time to remember. For example, in 16 years the first time I got into the national team, Viktor Tikhonov took. It was not easy. Then it was necessary to master the command to break, because there the demands on young players. In a draft of the NHL also have a situation where it was not clear who will choose the first number - me or Malkin. And each time it was necessary to prove, prove, prove.

- And it was so important - who will choose first in the draft - you or Malkin? If you chose the latter, it would strongly affect your destiny?

- I do not know, would be reflected or not, I just always wanted to be first in everything. Understandably, no particular difference, the firstyou or second in the NBA Draft, but for the player in 18 years to become the first in the world in a number of age - it's worth it. This means that you believe you are trusted and given some responsibility on you.
While I do not want to deal with Russian bonds

- You earn through playing hockey and advertising contracts. Do you have some sort of financial strategy as you manage to make money? You yourself doing this and trust your financial manager?

- Yes, I have a financial manager Igor Lenda, and I trust him. He was the first year of my career working with me in the United States. I invest in US bonds, which are a little bit, but still bring revenue. The money earned with sweat and blood, why not hunt them to risk.

- Finance Manager gives you advice or you are immersed in it is usually to make a decision?

- Of course, he gives advice, tells where it is better to invest the money where it is not necessary, but in the end it's still my decision.

- It's only bonds in the US market or THE RUSSIANcom too?

- In the US, while in the Russian ...

- No neriskovannyh?

- Well, it is not something that is not, but I do not want to deal with them, because I am almost all the time in the US and my financier, too, in America, and I'll trust in such matters only to him. When you are finished sports career, when I return to Russia, we will see how to proceed, I'll talk, find friends who could advise where, in which bonds to invest.

- You can reveal the secret of what kind of bond?

- These are investments that bring a certain percentage. But what kind and what it brings, I will not say.

- We are well aware that you do not invest all the money, but only some part?

- Yes, about 20 percent.

- Do you have the desire to start their own business in the future? Maria Sharapova, for example, launched a few years ago under the brand business Sugarpova. Now, we understand that it develops and, perhaps, after most of the sponsors did not extend contracts with Mary because of the scandal with meldoniumiem, he will help her continue to multiply their income. Do you have any idea about this?

- I think the Sharapova feel good financially no matter denied her sponsors or not. In general, a lot depends on the environment of the person with whom you communicate, what advice they give you. But the most important thing is that you make decisions, because it's your money, no you can not say: "Let the ruble, we will do it from two rubles." You have to understand it myself, whether you like it or you do not. As will be more when I finish playing hockey? It is clear that we will have to think of something, some steps or in Russia or in America to take, but in principle I'm not complaining, I'm fine and so.

- We know that you are engaged in charity and helping children. Do you have any idea in the future to open a charitable foundation?

- Yes, of course, such thoughts are. But again, it needs to be in Russia, it is necessary that it is under your control and supervision of those people who you trust. It will all be necessary. In principle, I always say: if God gave you something, it means you need toto share with other people who are in need. While I am trying to help the children who want to play sports, but they have no such possibility. My advertisers in this help, they, too, want it. For example, I say, or the representative of Bauer Nike: «We will have a charity event with children, you need a certain number of sets of forms." They specify the size and bring it.
Putin plays well in hockey

- You want to go back to Russia, when finished his playing career?

- Everything will depend on the family, from where it will be. But yes, of course I want to come back.

- Are there thoughts after the playing career to become a coach or sports officials as Vyacheslav Fetisov, for example?

- Again, it will depend on tips that will give me my friends, acquaintances, family. While thinking in this regard does not arise because there is strength and desire to play hockey. And when you realize that everything is, force is no more need to think what you want to be and how to develop further.

- You once played hockey with Putin.

- Yes, it was in Sochi.


- He plays well, especially when you consider what he is a busy man, and how much time he spends on the ice. Of course, pleased that our president has been my favorite thing - hockey. This is a big plus.

- It is believed that more popular in recent years hockey has become in Russia than in the past. Do you think so it happened: the victories of Russian athletes, major events like the Olympics and World Cup, interest in hockey from the Russian billionaires and politicians that it is now not only watch, and they have started to play?

- I think it has helped all together. Now as for the young people that the most important thing? Sitting at home with gadgets, play computer games. And even if you do sports, you still come home, play console or sit on the Internet. It's not their fault, the time is simple. And I think correctly, that people with great potential shown by example that it is necessary to engage in sports: football, hockey, basketball, no matter what.

- We know that Arkady Dvorkovich with you friendly. You are not hereavno flyboard him to fly, it seems.

- Yeah, I flew. For the first time.

- Complicated? Do not fall?

- Fall, of course, but it seems alive and well, talk to you (smiles).

- Another friend of yours - Roman Rotenberg. Have you ever talked about friends and acquaintances with whom to play hockey, they have in mind?

- Yes. Even with Andrew Y. Vorobiev (the governor of the Moscow region - approx Forbes.) Play. There are so many people who love hockey and want it developed. Generally speaking, all my friends are very athletic people, not just businessmen and politicians. They come and play, it is clear that the eyes are burning, all interesting. Spend charity matches - hockey, football, basketball. In order to popularize the sport is very important.

Each clip has its funny

- Your marketing agent David Abrutin telling you it is important to understand what you are shooting commercials. How do you decide for yourself what to advertise and what is not?

- If you are a popular person, you're not going to advertise just the laces of shoes, you will promote a brand. I doomayu that should always be comfortable and promote top brands. Let's say the same of Nike, the same Bauer, Doctor Dre headphones. And they, and from this I enjoy.

- Many of the commercials, in which you were shot, very funny.

- Yes, each video has a joke, but it is not we come up with, and creative people. They offer us ideas and we discuss them.

- Do some advertising was that you particularly liked?

- Yes, all advertising, even those brands with which I am not cooperating, were interesting, alive. I enjoy shooting normally. Of course, when you come to the set, it is sometimes think: "Oh, five hours of filming." But on the court people are good to you, and all these thoughts pass quickly in such an atmosphere.

- Were there any funny or difficult moments related to the fact that you have been in a hurry to appear in any advertising, and for the sake of throwing everything and somewhere to escape, go, fly?

- No. All this pre-negotiates my agent. First negotiations, and only a month and a half, I'm shooting.

- OnShea American colleagues from Forbes appreciate your income from advertising contracts in the $ 2-3 million per year. Do you think this is a correct assessment?

- Hard to say. This is a question to my agent (David Abrutin Ovechkin declined to specify the amount of advertising contracts hockey player - a comment Forbes.).

While the most important thing in my life - to play

- We can not help but wonder about meldonium. It is believed that the doping scandal - it is an attack on the Russian athletes. Do you think so? You had this once encounter? Do not become in recent years to check on Alexander Ovechkin doping because he was Russian?

- No, but what I have to check? If you do not drink, the check does not check. I do not know, maybe it's some kind of political game. Sorry guys. It is a pity that they do not participate in the competition, because the competition for the athlete - this is most important. I'm about meldonium did not know, I did not think that this is some kind of doping. Again, perhaps this policy or in the head to someone something that took it. But our job to play and only move forward, there are other people, kotorye on these themes speak, write, give interviews.

- Do you have plans for the holidays and all the future that have already done?

- I Spent a week in Greece and visited Mount Athos, will soon go to rest again. But in general it is the main thing in my life - to play. Stanley Cup and Olympic gold - two main peaks, which need to conquer.