David Beckham attended Muhammad Ali's memorial service at the KFC Yum! Centre in Louisville, Kentucky on Friday. The retired footballer joined other stars, including Will Smith and and Lennox Lewis, as well as thousands of fans, to pay his respects to the boxing legend.
The 41-year-old appeared to attend the service by himself, and look solemn during the service in a black suit and tie. The father-of-four also paid tribute to the boxer by posting a photo of himself shaking hands with Muhammad, captioning the photo: "The Greatest there will ever be .... The biggest and the best ..... Rest In Peace."
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe retired footballer looked solemn as he paid his respects
He also shared a black-and-white snap of Muhammad accompanied by one of his most famous quotes, writing: "Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it.
"Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing."
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Will Smith was another star to pay tribute to the late boxer, and acted as pallbearer during the service. The actor had struck up a close friendship with Muhammad after portraying him in Ali, and posted a tribute to him on Facebook. He wrote: "You shook up the world! My Mentor & My Friend. You changed my Life. Rest in Peace.
© Photo: Getty ImagesIt appeared that David attended the service alone
"There's no doubt that he was a great boxer. He was the greatest of all time. When we think about the legacy of Muhammad Ali, what he did in the ring is not what we think about."
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Thousands of fans also gathered to say a final farewell to the icon, with thousands of tickets to the memorial service snapped up in half an hour with people travelling to Kentucky to pay their respects. Those who couldn't attend the memorial lined the streets chanting "Ali" as the hearse carrying his coffin drove past during the procession.
