Eight times football celebrations backfired after Douglas Luiz’s bizarre chest-shimmy vs Man Utd and Maupay vs Maddison
ALAN SHEARER kept things simple.
The Premier League’s record goalscorer celebrated each of his 260 Prem goals with a hand held aloft.
But it seems that not only have celebrations grown increasingly complex, but have taken on a whole new dimension of trolling between teams.
Douglas Luiz stole the headlines on Sunday as he stooped to his knees and “shoulder-shimmied” in front of Manchester United keeper Andre Onana after scoring Villa’s equaliser – only for United to get a winner and have the last laugh.
And before that, there was dart-gate when Neal Maupay took James Maddison‘s signature darts celebration.
Here’s a look at eight times football celebrations have gone wrong…
Douglas Luiz vs Manchester United, February 2024
The latest in the list of a growing genre – the troll celebration.
Luiz struck to cancel out Rasmus Hojlund‘s opener and immediately stooped to his knees and shook his shoulders back and forth in front of Onana.
But the celebration went on to blow up in his face, with Villa going on to lose the game 2-1 courtesy of a late Scott McTominay winner.
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United legend Rio Ferdinand took a swipe at Luiz after the game, writing on X: “U ok @dgoficial?”
But the midfielder has since responded to explain his celebration, saying: “I’m good, thanks. It’s just carnival time in Brazil.”
Neal Maupay vs Tottenham, January 2024
Neal Maupay nicking James Maddison’s celebration introduced a derby atmosphere between Tottenham and Brentford which had never existed before.
After scoring the opener in the 15th minute, Maupay mocked Maddison’s signature darts-throwing celebration, with Ivan Toney joining in as well.
The decision to do so riled Tottenham’s players, with Maddison and Maupay having a physical altercation 15 minutes later.
Muapay’s celebration would come back to bite him, with Brennan Johnson and Richarlison celebrating their goals with darts-throwing celebrations in response to the Bees striker.
The entire Spurs team would have the last laugh as they went on to win the game 3-2.
Richarlison (various) 2022-23 season
Tottenham’s sophomore season under Antonio Conte was one to forget for players and fans alike – but none more so than for Richarlison.
The Brazilian signed from Everton for £60million that season to high expectations but managed just one Premier League goal – as it became clear Conte did not fancy him.
Fellow professionals Michail Antonio and Callum Wilson poked fun at the forward for the fact that he had received more bookings for taking his shirt off than scored goals that season.
His sole Premier League goal came when he equalised late on against Liverpool to make it 3-3 in April 2023.
The player celebrated by taking his shirt off before breaking into his pigeon celebration – and was duly booked again.
Unfortunately for the forward, Liverpool instantly went up the other end to score a 94th minute 4-3 winner through Diogo Jota.
The forward has been a success this season under Postecoglou, however, with 10 goals in 21 Premier League games – which is more than Wilson and Antonio combined.
Ramon Sosa Vs Rosario February 2024
It was a painful celebration for Paraguayan winger Sosa last week, who plays for Argentine side Talleres.
The player said he was trying to emulate the knee slides commonly seen in the Premier League week-on-week, but perhaps should have thought more about attempting it on a dry pitch in the height of the Argentine summer.
The players knees got stuck in the turf, with the player collapsing in pain.
Michy Batshuayi Vs England June 2018
The first celebration to feature on the list for a player that didn’t actually score.
Batshuayi was so excited to see winger Adnan Januzaj curl one past Jordan Pickford that he picked the ball up and tried to boot it into the net.
But the forward managed to miss the goal and boot it at the post, before it ricocheted back into his face – spawning a tonne of memes.
Anderson Lopes Vs Shimizu S-Pulse March 2019
The Brazilian striker was making his debut for Consadole in the J-League and wanted to jump into the stands to celebrate with his new fans by hopping the advertising hoardings.
Unfortunately though, there was a huge drop between the fans and the pitch rather than an athletics track – and Lopes required medical treatment.
Despite this, he went on to score another three goals.
Steve Morrow Vs Sheffield Wednesday April 1993
Morrow should have had a dream day having scored Arsenal‘s winner against Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup final.
But, in the ensuing celebrations after the game, he was picked up by captain Tony Adams.
Adams lost his footing, though, and his slip sent Morrow crashing to the ground.
The player’s fall saw him break his arm, meaning he missed not only the medal ceremony for the Gunners, but their FA Cup final a month later.
Paulo Diogo Vs Schaffhausen December 2004
Diogo was playing for Swiss side Servette when he set up a late winner for former Wigan full-back Jean Beausejour in the 87th minute of the game.
In the celebrations, he climbed the fencing separating fans from the pitch but got his wedding ring caught in the wiring.
When the player dropped down from the fence, his finger, and his wedding ring, remained.
The player did not initially realise he had lost a finger and was even booked by the ref for over-celebrating.
After realising what had happened, Diogo dropped to the floor in agony.
Despite the best efforts of doctors at a Zurich hospital, his finger could not be reattached – although he did manage to continue his playing career with just the nine digits.