Goal celebration
Encyclopedia
Goal (sport)
Goal refers to a method of scoring in many sports. It can also refer to the physical structure or area of the playing surface where scoring occurs....
. The celebration may be performed by the goalscorer (most notably), his or her teammates, the manager or coaching staff and/or the supporters of the team. Whilst referring to the celebration of a goal in general, the term can also be applied to specific actions, such as a player removing his shirt or performing a somersault.
Goal song
A goal song or goal celebration music is an about 30 to 45 seconds long melody, that is played in sports like football or ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
after a goal is scored.
In ice hockey, the use of goal songs is very popular. For instance, a goal by the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, on home ice
Bell Centre
The Bell Centre , formerly known as the Molson Centre , is a sports and entertainment complex in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It opened on March 16, 1996 after nearly three years under construction...
, is followed by U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's Vertigo. The New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
play the song "Slapshot", which was written by Ray Castoldi
Ray Castoldi
Ray Castoldi has been the organist at Madison Square Garden since 1989. During the summer, when the New York Rangers and New York Knicks are spending their offseasons, Castoldi can be heard at the organ at New York Mets games at Citi Field . Because of this, he is the only person to play for the...
, the Music Director at Madison Square Garden.
Memorable celebrations
- ItalianItaly national football teamThe Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
midfielder Marco Tardelli, after scoring Italy's second goal against West GermanyGermany national football teamThe Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in the 1982 World Cup1982 FIFA World CupThe 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
final1982 FIFA World Cup Final- External links :**...
sprinted into his own half, shaking his fists against his chest, tears pouring down his face, screaming "goal!" as he shook his head wildly. This is also called the "Tardelli's scream" or "l'urlo di Tardelli".
- The 1982 World Cup also saw the usually quiet FalcãoFalcaoFalcao or Falcão may refer to* Élson Falcão da Silva , Brazilian football player* Radamel Falcao, Colombian footballer* Alessandro Rosa Vieira , nicknamed Falcão, Brazilian futsal and football player...
running the pitch screaming with both his hands raised after scoring Brazil'sBrazil national football teamThe Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
second goal against Italy.
- At the 1994 FIFA World Cup1994 FIFA World CupThe 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
Diego MaradonaDiego MaradonaDiego Armando Maradona is a retired Argentine football player and widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. Over the course of his professional club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys, setting...
ran towards one of the sideline cameras shouting with a distorted face and bulging eyes after he scored against Greece. This turned to be Maradona's last international goal for Argentina; he tested positive for ephedrine and never played for his country again.
- The Greece team at the 1994 World Cup also saw Finidi GeorgeFinidi GeorgeFinidi George is a retired Nigerian footballer who played as a right winger.After making a name for himself at Ajax in the Netherlands – being a leading figure in a team which won eight major titles, including the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League – he played several years in Spain with Real Betis,...
of Nigeria running to the corner flag after scoring, kneeling down and imitating a urinating dog.
- When Paul GascoignePaul GascoignePaul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
scored against ScotlandScotland national football teamThe Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
during the Euro 1996 championships he lay on his back while his teammates grabbed water bottles from the touchline and poured water into his open mouth. This celebration mimicked a controversial pre-tournament incident when EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
players were photographed in a nightclub, sitting in a dentist's chair having alcoholic drinksAlcoholic beverageAn alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
poured down their throats.
- After scoring a chip against SunderlandSunderland A.F.C.Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in 1996, Eric CantonaEric CantonaEric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
playing for Manchester United celebrated by standing still on the spot, raising his arms aloft, holding his chest out and presenting a blank expression.
- Six years after missing a crucial penalty in the shootout of the 1990 World Cup semi-finals against Germany, England's Stuart PearceStuart PearceStuart Pearce OBE is an English football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of the England national under-21 team and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team...
finally stepped up to take another kick in the Euro 1996 quarter-finals penalty shootout against Spain. He converted his attempt and celebrated with a screaming outburst.
- In a 1997 Premiership match between Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle player Temuri KetsbaiaTemuri KetsbaiaTemuri "Temur" Ketsbaia is a Georgian football manager and former player. As a player he represented the Georgian national team and played for Dinamo Tbilisi, Anorthosis Famagusta, AEK, Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Dundee.Ketsbaia is often regarded as having played a major role...
repeatedly and angrily kicked the advertising hoardings at the side of the pitch after ripping off his top and throwing it into the crowd, as well as aggressively pushing away the Newcastle players who tried to hug him in celebration of the goal.
- Ian WrightIan WrightIan Edward Wright, MBE is a retired English footballer turned television and radio personality.Wright enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal, spending six years with the former and seven years with the latter. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title and both major...
was chasing Cliff BastinCliff BastinClifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
's record of 178 goals for Arsenal F.C.Arsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, and in a Premiership game against Bolton, Wright scored and took off his shirt to reveal a vest underneath with the slogan "Just Done It" (referring to beating the record, and Just Do It, the slogan of Wright's sponsor NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
). Wright had only equalled the record however, and not beaten it but would score again just 5 minutes later to break the record and he revealed the vest again, this time correctly.
- At the 1998 FIFA World Cup1998 FIFA World CupThe 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
, Denmark's Brian LaudrupBrian LaudrupBrian Laudrup is a Danish former football player and current football commentator, pundit and analyst on TV3+. Along with former international goalkeeper Lars Høgh, Laudrup manages a football academy for marginalized youth...
scored the equalizer against Brazil, then ran to the sidelines and lay down on his side leaning his head on his elbow, as if he had been on the beach.
- AmericanUnited States women's national soccer teamThe United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
Brandi ChastainBrandi ChastainBrandi Denise Chastain is a professional American soccer defender and midfielder who plays for the team California Storm of Women's Premier Soccer League and is a former member of the United States women's national soccer team....
removed her shirt after she converted the winning penalty in the 1999 Women's World Cup final against ChinaChina women's national football teamThe China women's national football team represents the People's Republic of China in international women's football.- Records :China had held the record of going for 442 minutes without conceding a World Cup goal, until it was broken by Germany on September 26, 2007, when Germany beat Norway 3-0...
. The image of Chastain with her shirt off and revealing her bare stomach and her sports bra appeared on the covers of TimeTime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, PeoplePeople (magazine)In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
, and Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
.
- In the 2002 World Cup2002 FIFA World CupThe 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
, South KoreanKorea Republic national football teamThe Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
forward Ahn Jung-HwanAhn Jung-HwanAhn Jung-Hwan is a South Korean football player. He made world headlines by scoring the winning golden goal for South Korea against Italy in the 2002 World Cup second round, sending South Korea into the quarterfinals.-Football career:After starting his professional career with K-League's Busan...
imitated a speed skater after tying the game against the United StatesUnited States men's national soccer teamThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, in reference to the controversial disqualification of Korean short track speed skater Kim Dong-SungKim Dong-SungKim Dong-Sung is a former South Korean short track speed skater. He won a gold medal in 1000m race and silver medal in 5000m relay at the 1998 Winter Olympics...
in the 1500 metresShort track speed skating at the 2002 Winter Olympics2002 Winter Olympic Games Short track speed skating. All events were held at the Salt Lake Ice Center.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's events:-References:*...
at the 2002 Winter Olympics2002 Winter OlympicsThe 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
, allowing American Apolo OhnoApolo Anton OhnoApolo Anton Ohno is an American short track speed skating competitor and an eight-time medalist in the Winter Olympics. He is the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time....
to win the gold medal.
- In 2007, whilst playing for LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Craig BellamyCraig BellamyCraig Douglas Bellamy is a Welsh footballer who plays as a striker for Liverpool and the Welsh national team. Born in Cardiff, Bellamy was the captain of the Welsh national side for four years after taking over from Ryan Giggs in 2007, but stood down in January 2011 due to constant injuries...
celebrated his goal against BarcelonaFC BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
simulating a golf swing, due to media speculation into a fight between him and teammate John Arne RiiseJohn Arne RiiseJohn Arne Semundseth Riise is a Norwegian footballer who currently plays as a left wing-back for Fulham and the Norwegian national team. Riise spent seven years playing for Premier League side Liverpool before moving to Roma in 2008...
at a karaoke night near their training ground in PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, where he allegedly tried to hit Riise with a golf club.
- In a July 2009 U.S. Open Cup2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupThe 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 96th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early September.The tournament proper features teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
match between bitter rivalsSeattle Sounders – Portland Timbers rivalryThe Seattle–Portland rivalry is a soccer rivalry between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers soccer teams. The rivalry pre-dates the current teams in both cities, back to the North American Soccer League days, and has since grown into one of the largest and most bitter rivalries in...
Seattle Sounders FCSeattle Sounders FCSeattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
and the Portland Timbers at the Timbers' PGE Park, the Sounders' Roger LevesqueRoger LevesqueRoger Levesque is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
—a player especially disliked by Timbers fans—scored within the first minute. He then stood at the top of the Portland penalty area while teammate Nate JaquaNate JaquaJonathan "Nate" Jaqua is an American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School:...
pretended to chop him down like a tree. The celebration ended when Levesque fell flat on his back after being "chopped down".
- In September 2009, Emmanuel AdebayorEmmanuel AdebayorSheyi Emmanuel Adebayor is a Togolese footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur as a striker on loan from Manchester City. He plays in the same position for the Togo national team. Adebayor previously played for Metz, Monaco and Arsenal and was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2008...
of Manchester CityManchester City F.C.Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
celebrated his goal against his previous club, ArsenalArsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
by sprinting the length of the pitch to the opposite end of the stadium, where the Arsenal fans were seated, and sliding on his knees as if celebrating with them. The Arsenal fans had to be held back by stewards to stop them attacking him. Adebayor apologized after the match, and said his emotions took over him because the Arsenal supporters were insulting him during the whole game.
- In December 2009 Jimmy BullardJimmy BullardJames Richard "Jimmy" Bullard is a footballer who currently plays for Ipswich Town. He played youth football at West Ham before moving to Gravesend & Northfleet in 1998...
celebrated his penalty goal against Manchester CityManchester City F.C.Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
by standing in the centre of a circle created by all the players, symbolizing Phil Brown's well-documented half-time team-talk in the previous season.
- Starting in 2010, the Icelandic club StjarnanStjarnanStjarnan F.C. is an Icelandic sports club specialising in football, located in Garðabær, which currently plays in the Úrvalsdeild league in the Icelandic football division system, having won promotion from the 1...
has become a worldwide Internet sensation for their elaborate goal celebrations, among them an animated shooting spree and a marching band. Perhaps the most elaborate saw the goal scorer pretend to fish a teammate out of the sea, ending with the teammate being "displayed" as a trophy.
Punishment in football
According to the FIFA rules of the games (Law 12):- While it is permissible for a player to demonstrate his joy when a goal has been scored, the celebration must not be excessive.
FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
have attempted to crack down on some of the more enthusiastic celebrations. If a player incites the crowd and/or takes his shirt off after scoring a goal he is likely to get booked by the referee. However, some players get around this rule by pulling the hem of their shirts over the head, without taking the shirt off entirely, but this is not always overturned by the referees. Some players were receiving fines for dropping their shorts after scoring.
Jumping into the crowd is also a bookable offence ("deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee's permission", as identified in Law 12).
Players might be also fined for revealing t-shirts which contain some kind of message directed to the spectators. Notable examples include Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
being fined for showing a t-shirt which was designed to show support for the Liverpool dockers' strike
Liverpool Dockers' Strike
The Liverpool Dockers' Strike lasted from 1995 to 1998.Although referred to as a strike it was strictly a dispute because the employers, the MDHC had actually used the opportunity to sack the dockers who were caught up in a separate dispute.The Liverpool dockers refused to cross a picket line set...
incorporating the Calvin Klein 'CK' into the word doCKer and Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
, who was fined by UEFA after he removed his Arsenal shirt to reveal a t-shirt reading "To the new-born Kyd", which was directed to his friend, Texas
Texas (band)
Texas are a Scottish pop band from Bearsden, near Glasgow, Scotland. They were founded by Johnny McElhone in 1986 and feature Sharleen Spiteri on lead vocals. Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at Scotland's University of Dundee...
lead singer Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri is a Scottish recording artist and songwriter, best known as being the lead singer of Scottish rock/blues band Texas. Texas began their career in 1986, and shot to fame in 1989 with their UK Top Ten single, "I Don't Want a Lover" released from Southside...
, who had just given birth. In 1999, Fowler was also fined £60,000 by his club and the Premier League for having celebrated his penalty goal against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
by getting down on all fours and miming the snorting of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
off of the white touchline. Although it was seen as Fowler's response to being accused of drug abuse in the tabloid press, then-manager Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier, OBE , is a French football manager, who was last manager of Premier League club Aston Villa. He stepped down on 1 June 2011, following hospitalisation over heart problems towards the end of the 2010-2011 season....
famously claimed that he was merely imitating "a cow eating grass".
Paolo Di Canio
Paolo Di Canio
Paolo Di Canio is a Italian former professional footballer and current manager of League Two side Swindon Town. Di Canio made over 500 league appearances and scored over 100 league goals as a player....
made his mark in 2006, when during his period at Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
, he made a fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
salute to the right-wing fans. He was fined and suspended as a result.
FIFA will in 2013 bring into international football lore a rule that says if a player kisses his badge and has only played for his current club for less than 12 months, then he will be banned for 5 games.
Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
player David Norris
David Norris (footballer)
David Martin Norris is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship club Portsmouth as a midfielder, having previously played for Boston United, Bolton Wanderers, Hull City, Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town....
received a fine after using a hand cuff gesture to celebrate scoring against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
in November 2008, dedicating the goal to ex-teammate Luke McCormick
Luke McCormick
Luke Martin McCormick is a former English football goalkeeper. He played for Plymouth Argyle between 2003 and 2008, but his contract was cancelled by mutual consent in July 2008 after he caused a car crash which killed two children...
who was jailed for death by dangerous driving
Death by dangerous driving
Causing death by dangerous driving is a statutory offence in England and Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is an aggravated form of dangerous driving...
. Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
midfielder Tim Cahill
Tim Cahill
Timothy Filiga "Tim" Cahill is an football player of Australian nationality who plays for Everton and the Australian national football team...
received a similar fine for a similar gesture in a match on 2 March 2008, a similar incident took place in Chelsea versus Middlesbourgh when teammate Salomon Kalou
Salomon Kalou
Salomon Armand Magloire Kalou is an Ivorian footballer who plays as a striker for Chelsea in the Premier League.He is often used on the wings at Chelsea. He has a preference for playing on the left wing as this gives him opportunities to cut inside and take shots with his favoured right foot...
scored a brace and thereafter crossing hands with teammate Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba
Didier Yves Drogba Tébily is an Ivorian footballer who plays in the centre forward position. He currently plays for Chelsea in the Premier League, where he is deputy vice-captain, and is the captain and all-time top scorer of the Côte d'Ivoire national football team...
, it was later revealed that he said he wanted to try out a new celebration and was not supporting an Ivorian convictionist.
Injuries
A variety of football players have managed to injure themselves during celebration: examples include Paulo DiogoPaulo Diogo
Paulo da Cruz Diogo is a retired Swiss professional footballer of Portuguese origin. He played almost his entire professional career in the Swiss first division.- Career :...
(who severed a finger after it got caught in a fence), Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
, Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Milan and the Swedish national team for which he is captain....
, Marco Tardelli, and Fabian Espindola
Fabián Espíndola
Fabián Espíndola is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.-South America:...
(who celebrated a goal that was later declared offside).