One of the aesthetics fans enjoy in football is goal celebration. It has not just become a fine art which footballers and coaches display, but it now serves as a brand identity, especially for players who score regularly.
Apart from being a personal brand identity, footballers also use goal celebrations to showcase their native culture or personal believes. Indeed, to pass a message to the fans and the world at large.
Some goal celebrations are amazing acts to watch, while some are offensive to fans and can even get the player into their bad books or land him into trouble with the club's management.
Amazingly we find children, fans and upcoming players imitating their favorite goal celebrations and that set us off to find out from fans in Nigeria their top ten favorite goal celebrations. Below are the ones that were chosen more frequently and we present them in descending order:
10. Neymar Jr Point to the World
The Brazilian star, Neymar Jr, more often celebrate with the action of pointing to the World after scoring a goal. This celebration was actually made popular by Usain Bolt, a Jamaica athlete and world 100 and 200 metres record holder. A lot of youngsters does it today, shooting to the sky whenever they perform execellently.
9. Ante Rebic’s Hearing the Voice
In the Group D match, Croatia against Argentina, Rebic celebrated with putting two hands back to the ears after scoring the goal, which is like to hear the yells and cries from the fans. A lot of players adopt this style of celebration
8. Rashidi Yekini grabbing the goal net and roar
Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria vs. Bulgaria: The goal that prompted the celebration was nothing spectacular about, a simple tap-in from close range against Bulgaria.
But the goal had great significance, as it was Nigeria’s first goal at a World Cup finals. Yekini’s momentum took him into the goal and he grabbed the net before letting out a sustained roar that appeared to go on for ages.
This isn't a goal celebrat%ion anybody will want to replicate, because it was more of an impulsive reaction than an orchestrated art. However, it is often mentioned anywhere goal celebrations are being discussed.
7. Findi George's Dog style
Nigerian winger Finidi George scoops the prize for oddest celebration. After producing a deft chip to put Nigeria ahead against Greece, Finidi trotted over to the corner flag.
What followed really was quite remarkable. Instead of some sort of dance, Finidi dropped on all fours and began walking like a dog before doing what dogs do very well. Not done there, George got to his feet and did a full 360 spin. Never have we seen any player replicate the odd showing.
6. Lionel Messi’s Two Fingers Pointing to the Sky
Almost every time Messi scores a goal, he celebrates with two fingers pointing to the sky as he looks up. Not many know that it is in fact in honor of his grandmother. Messi explained that “I am doing this because I dedicate my goals to my grandmother. She took me to football but now she can’t see how far I have come. Nevertheless, she continues to help me and my family.” So if it weren’t for Messi’s grandmother, we might have never seen him play football at this level or break records and create new ones..
Players like Odion Ighalo celebrates his goals the same way, but with different meaning. He dedicate his goals to almighty God, by pointing and looking up tu Heaven.
5. Robbie Keane Remaking of Robbinhood
Robbie Keane was well known for his cartwheel celebration long before he arrived at the Korea and Japan tournament in 2002. With it being a World Cup, Keane probably thought it was worth cranking things up a notch.
Against Saudi Arabia, he executed a fine volley which proved too hot for the keeper to handle. He set out for the corner flag and got a forward roll away before being mobbed by team-mates.
If you turned away at that point, you missed the crescendo, as Keane set about auditioning for the remake of Robin Hood by letting fly with an imaginary bow and arrow aimed at the camera.
4. Roger Milla Ropopo Dance
Roger Milla is famous for a host of things, one being the face he is the oldest player ever to take part in a World Cup.
He was pretty good at scoring goals; just as good at celebrating them. The corner flag became his friend at Italia ’90, and against Colombia his dancing skills were on show.
After stealing possession off Colombia keeper Rene Higuita, Milla strode forward and tucked the ball into an unguarded net. Milla chugged to the corner flag, and with a wiggle of the hips and shimmy of his feet, he won himself an army of fans.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo herotic charge
Cristiano Ronaldo has various celebration styles over years, but two most popular ones. He celebration in the 2018 World Cup. In the first Group B match Portugal versus Spain, Ronaldo scored sensational free kick to complete hat-trick and he celebrated with opening arms to run and then knee to glide.
He also Run, jump and spread both arms and legs. And if you don’t shout as you spread your legs and arms, you’ve missed it. This second celebration style seems more popular with young and upcoming players, who often replicate it when they score.
2. Bafetimbi Gomis The Crawls of T'challa, the Black Panther
The real black panther, sorry T’challa. Here’s how you do it: with your hands and knees on the ground and a pretty scary facial expression, crawl. This celebration style remain unique to Gomis in the Premier League. Not many people try to replicate the panthers crawl, but it is often referred to anytime goal celebrations are being discussed.
1. Julius Aghahowa’s 7 flips in a row
I cannot be the only one who thought Aghahoea’s flips would give any manager a heart attack. There is a chance that Aghahowa missed out on his dream of being a gymnast, and he pays homage to that sport every time he scores.
Wow! Fans loved Aghahowa's 7 flips as they count along as he flips. It is a goal celebration not so easy to adopt, because it requires also possessing such gymnastics skills. But we have seen players like Obafemi Martins adopt it in a slightly different way.
