Nikita Simonyan is happy to be awarded the title of Hero of Labor

1956 Olympic champion Nikita Simonyan is happy to be awarded the title of Hero of Labor. Simonyan told TASS.

On October 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Simonyan the title of Hero of Labor. The award will be presented for his exceptional service to the state, as well as his significant contribution to the development and popularization of Russian football. Simonyan turned 99 on October 12.

"Thank you for the congratulations. The news of being awarded the title of Hero of Labor was quite unexpected. Of course, I am happy and grateful," Simonyan said.

"I just learned about the presidential decree. The time and place of the award ceremony will probably be announced later. In football, only Nikolai Petrovich Starostin and Lev Ivanovich Yashin have been awarded this honor. I have received many calls from all over the country, not only from Russia. I was especially touched by the call from friends in Abkhazia, where I spent my childhood. People are happy, it is very pleasant," he added.

During his career, Simonyan played for Krylia Sovetov Moscow and Spartak, where the latter won the USSR Championship four times (1952, 1953, 1956, 1958) and the USSR Cup twice (1950, 1958). Simonyan is Spartak's all-time top scorer (160 goals). In 1956, Simonyan won the Olympic Games in Melbourne with the USSR national team. In 1958, in a 2–2 draw against England, he scored the USSR's first goal in the World Cup final. He retired from professional football in 1959.