Top 10 Goal Celebrations
Scoring a goal in football in professional football is often described by those luckily enough to have experienced it as the best feeling in the world. Now that statement is often followed up by "Along with the birth of my kids" but nonetheless you get the idea, scoring a goal is a big moment in the life of a football. So how do you react when it happens? Whip your shirt off? The Alan Shearer one-arm salute?
Well sometimes we are treated to far more creative moments and FREEbets.org.uk take a look at some of the celebrations that deserve to be celebrated themselves.
Temuri Ketsbaia
Some of the following celebrations will have taken considerable preparation, others possess significant meaning but the first on the list is there purely because it was mental. Having since made the move in to management, you could perhaps be forgiven for being unaware of Ketsbaia's wild past, but he is certainly remembered in England for it. After netting for Newcastle against Bolton he tore his shirt off and shaking his teammates off gives the advertising hoardings what for with a series of heavy boots. He said he was angry at having started the game on the bench and if one of his players did it now he would “admire their passion.”
Bebeto
A simple celebration but one that was an instant hit and has been repeated many a time round the globe. The prolific Brazilian striker notched the opening goal of the game in the 1994 World Cup quarter-final against Holland and in honour of his son who was born just days before, mimed rocking a cradle to which teammates joined in and a celebration that would last for years was born. That son, Mattheus, has since gone on to become a professional footballer himself though his career so far looks as though he will be most remembered for being the subject of his father's famous celebration.
Marco Tardelli
There is nothing particularly flashy or sophisticated about this one but it's getting on the list due to just how iconic it is. In the 1982 World Cup final, Italy were taking on Germany and were leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from star striker Paolo Rossi. Then in the 69th minute the ball came to Juventus midfielder Marco Tardelli on the edge of the box and he unleashed a powerful left-footed strike into the bottom corner of the German net. Overcome by emotion, Tardelli then began running towards the bench and like a man possessed beating his chest and screaming "goal" and shaking his head in what has become nknown as the "Tardelli Cry."
Bejram Fetai
Comedy, violence, revenge and an awful lot of preparation, it seems Fetai’s celebration could teach a few Hollywood directors a thing or two about what to include in their work. Having been sacked by his previous club Silkeborg for getting in a fight he went on to score against them for Nordsjælland and he hadn’t forgotten his acrimonious split with his ex. A fake brawl ensued that the Macedonian international seemed to be winning before a teammate mimed pulling a gun from his shorts and shooting him dead, genius.
Eric Cantona
The iconic Frenchman could not have done less during his famous celebration after scoring against Sunderland, but in a facial expression and slight turn of the hips it summed up his glorious career with ease. He had just scored one of the great goals in Premier League history and in response he turned slowly on the spot surveying the Old Trafford pitch like a Roman Emperor looking down upon an adoring crowd. No wonder they called him King Eric.
Jimmy Bullard
Now sadly retired, Jimmy Bullard provided the footballing world with some brilliant moments of light relief amongst the intense seriousness of top level football. Few were better than his mockery of manager Phil Brown during his time with Hull in the Premier League. Brown had taken the unusual step earlier in the season of keeping his team on the pitch at half time and admonishing them publicly after a shoddy first half display. The Hull boys weren’t going to let this slide though and in a perfectly planned charade Bullard gave them his own little speech after scoring against Manchester City.
Cristiano Luccarelli
Italians are known for their passion but few have demonstrated their love for their club as obviously as Luccarelli in his Livorno days. The striker never made any secret of his raw passion for his home town team, but whipping off his shirt and pretending to have sex with it gave the relationship a whole new look. He has made kissing the badge look like mere foreplay for the rest of the world.
Ken Ilso
Another clever bit of choreography, this time turning his teammates into pins and the football into a bowling ball, Ken Ilso creates a moment of goal celebration gold. Not too much to it from the FC Midtjylland man but it was unique and funny and that’s enough for us.
Ian Wright
No film of this unfortunately, but without a doubt one of the funniest celebrations ever and at the time very topical. Paulo Di Canio had been sent off for Sheffield Wednesday the previous week and shoved referee Paul Adcock to the ground in one of the most startling moments in Premier League history. Always ones to see the funny side of things Ian Wright and Neil Ruddock decided to recreate this after Wright scored for West Ham against Southampton. Ruddock’s shove and Wright’s exaggerated comedy tumble had Trevor Sinclair standing next to them, and the rest of the country in stitches.
Stjarnan FC
The undoubted kings of the goal celebrations are Icelandic side Stjarnan FC who have made the pre-planned routine the thing they do better than any other club on the planet. Luckily they don’t sacrifice too much time creating these madcap displays as they are still good enough to score plenty of goals, thanks largely to blonde number 10 Halldór Orri Björnsson who you will see in the clip, and the world is grateful for it. The fishing routine has gained most fame and is probably the best but the bicycle is a thing of beauty and the bobsled is also well rehearsed. Pick your favourite and be thankful for the creativeness of these Icelanders.