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Players have different and unique styles during goal celebrations, some of the celebrations are sometimes the same between players but others are unique. Footballers’ goal celebrations also depend on the nature of the goal scored maybe a bicycle kick or the occasion perhaps it was a derby between rival teams, celebrations vary from players pointing towards the skies, sliding with the knees, acrobatic somersaults, kissing the fingers or hugging with teammates only to mention but a few. Referees were instructed to allow a 30-second celebration after a goal is scored before adding additional time for celebrations to have less stoppage time during a match.

Let’s have a look at the 15 most iconic goal celebrations.

WAYNE ROONEY – AIR BOXING

In 2015 a viral video was published showing Rooney losing during a friendly booze-fuelled boxing session with former teammate Phil Bardsley. After Rooney scored against Tottenham in the Premier League he celebrated by doing some air boxing before falling to the ground dramatically demonstrating his ‘K.O’.

LUIS SAUREZ – THREE KISSES

The Uruguayan striker kisses his wrist and three fingers every time he scores a goal, the kisses are a dedication to his wife and three children which symbolizes that he truly loves his family.

RAUL GONZALEZ – KISSING HIS RING FINGER

The former Real Madrid all-time goal scorer netted 323 goals until he was overtaken by Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, Gonzalez made kissing his ring finger his trademark every time he scored a goal.

EDISON CAVANI – BOW AND ARROW

Cavani has had an impressive football career. His iconic goal celebration, which he revealed is a nod to his country’s native people, involves a bow and arrow. Cavani was born in Salto (Uruguay).

LIONEL MESSI – POINTING TWO FINGERS TO THE SKY

Messi pointed two fingers to the sky after scoring to remember his grandmother, who took him to play football. He told the coach that he should have been given a chance to play when he was a child. Messi also had a special celebration while in Barcelona, taking off his jersey and holding it up to the fans.

CRISTIANO RONALDO – SIUUU

The most famous celebration and also used by other players is the ‘siuuu’ which means yes in Portuguese. Cristiano runs to the corner then jumps to the air while stretching out his arms and as he lands back to the ground we can hear the crowd shouting ‘siuuu’.

BAFETIMBI GOMIS – CRAWLING ON THE PITCH

Gomis’s celebration started at Swansea City as the striker celebrated his goals by crawling on the pitch with his mouth wide open showing the palms of his hands, just like some sort of a wild or big cat.

KYLIAN MBAPPE – FOLDING ARMS

Mbappe has had different goal celebrations but admitted using his brother’s Ethan celebration of folding his arms while facing the crowd and tucking his hands under his armpits.

THIERRY HENRY – KNEE SLIDE

Henry was honoured by a knee slide statue outside Arsenal’s stadium after a goal against North London rivals Tottenham, after Henry’s goal he celebrated with a knee slide with his fist clenched and a firm chest.

DANIEL STURRIDGE – DANCING

The celebration was regularly seen when Sturridge played for Liverpool when the striker could dance by waving his arms from side to side after scoring a goal.

MARIO BALOTELLI – WHY ALWAYS ME

Back in 2011 in the Premier League when Manchester City defeated the noisy neighbours Manchester United 6-1 and Balotelli scored two goals, he celebrated one of the goals by lifting up his jersey to show a t-shirt written ‘Why always me’.

ROGER MILLA – DANCING

The Cameroonian celebrated his goal at the 1990 World Cup by dancing around the corner flag.

SAMUEL ETO – OLD MAN

Jose Mourinho claimed that Eto was 35 years old instead of 32 years and when Eto scored the opening goal against Tottenham in March 2014 he celebrated the goal by holding the corner flag and his back pretending to be an old man.

SERGIO AGUERO – SHIRT OFF

Aguero’s winning goal against Queen Park Rangers in May 2012 which saw Man. City clinched the Premier League title, he celebrated by taking off his jersey and swinging it around over his head. Later rules were changed and removing jerseys while celebrating a goal could be penalized.

ERLING HAALAND – ZEN

The Norwegian is known for his trademark ‘zen’ celebration, the pose comes from his love of meditation where he sits down in a meditation pose after scoring a goal but was mocked by the PSG  team in 2020 after their Champions League win over his old club Borussia Dortmund.  

Some players choose not to celebrate their goals which is normally referred to as non-celebration, players decide not to celebrate as a sign of respect maybe when a player scores against their former club or maybe they might have their own personal reasons for not celebrating.