The dab
The dab has been popularized in sports by flamboyant Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton. It quickly spread to other sports as well: LeBron James has done it, Paul Pogba continuously does it, and IMFC’s own Dominic Oduro and Hassoun Camara celebrated their recent goals with it.
Pogba :
Oduro :
The knee slide
One of the most used celebrations in professional soccer worldwide. Just make sure you are not on artificial turf or you might lose your kneecaps.
Henry :
Drogba :
The Balotelli
The Italian striker doesn’t lack any self-confidence. During the Euro 2012 semifinal, Balotelli scores his second goal of the game against Germany. He removes his shirt and flexes with all his strength, while displaying an angry face. The pose is now famous.
The robot
Standing at 6’7’’, we didn’t expect Peter Crouch to have the best of coordination. He proved that he could hold his own as well, if not better, on the dancefloor as on the pitch. After scoring with the English national team, the tall striker offers his best impression of a robot. The slickness of the movement is surprising.
Gone fishing
Icelandic club Starjnan found an unsual, but particularly funny way to celebrate a goal. We are lost for words.
The salmon
This celebration is already well-known by FIFA players but has seldom been used by pros, for obvious reasons. Ian Wright, the former Arsenal and Celtic striker, used it first. Warning: Impact Media strongly advises against using this celebration on concrete.
#Henrying
360 career goals. Thierry Henry has been a generational player. After fruitful years at Arsenal and Barcelona, he crossed the Atlantic to join New York Red Bulls. The tall Frenchman gave MLS fans moments of anthology, like this viral celebration in 2013. Score a goal? Whatever.
The Spiderman
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has more than one trick up his socks. The Borussia Dortmund striker had a dream season this year, with 39 goals in 49 games. He endeared himself to comic fans during the German Supercup final against Bayern Munich in 2014: he was hiding a Spiderman mask in his socks. We’re not sure we would have kept the mask on that long…
The rookie
The goal has reached legendary status and will stay forever in the collective memory of IMFC supporters. CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final against Pachuca, 92nd minute, Calum Mallace recovers the ball in the heart of the midfield and drives forward before sending a precise long ball on Cameron Porter’s chest, who beats his marker before nutmegging the goalkeeper, granting the Montreal Impact its qualification in the semi-final stage. We have shivers just thinking about it. Let’s forgive Porter his approximate celebration: for a first career goal, we can’t think of a better scenario.
The knock-out
Only a couple of days before a crucial game against Tottenham Hotspurs, Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is filmed getting knocked-out in his kitchen during a friendly sparring. He takes his chance at redemption by scoring the Red Devils’ third goal in the 34th minute. Spurs are knocked out before half time.
The wheel
Robbie Keane has accustomed fans of his teams to his exuberant celebrations since his years at Tottenham. Now living on the Pacific coast, he is in the mix for the best goalscorers in MLS history. He is also among its best gymnasts.
Calm down
Cristiano Ronaldo has taken the habit of asking the crowd, at home or away, to calm down, take a deep breath and find their center after one of his numerous goals. He even did it at the Camp Nou, in the backyard of Real Madrid’s great enemy. With 20 minutes to go in the Clásico with the score 1-1, German Mesut Özil serves a brilliant ball to CR7, who rounds the keeper before sliding the ball in an empty Barcelona goal. “Calm down, I’m here.”
The Forlan special
During his – short – time at Old Trafford, Diego Forlan has scored spectacular goals, like this one against Southampton. He removes his jersey and celebrates for so long that the game starts again before he could even put it back on. It is because of this incident that FIFA has chosen to give a yellow card to players who go shirtless after scoring a goal.
The Mourinho
In the 2004 UEFA Champions League round of 16, FC Porto is on the brink of elimination at Old Trafford against Manchester United. With the score 2-2 on aggregate, the Red Devils have the edge on away goals. Costinha times his run perfectly and takes advantage of a juicy rebound given by Tim Howard after a free kick to send the Mancunians packing. José Mourinho, Porto’s manager, sprints down the line to go celebrate the qualification with his players by the corner flag. A legend is born.
