The goals make the games, the celebrations make the goals. The World Cup has been the platform for hundreds of goal celebrations, from the iconic to the idiotic, here’s the top ten...
10)Bebeto – sixteen years on and the influence of countless pathetic imitations, the ‘baby cradle’ celebration should now come with a mandatory yellow card to any goalscorer wishing to crown the birth of their offspring with a lame swinging of the arms. However, when done originally, in a World Cup quarter-final, by a Brazilian, with joy etched all over his face and with an instant co-ordination and rhythm with team-mates, Bebeto’s welcoming gift to his third kid just about makes the cut.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbhaDnd-5kg
9)Hector Castro – Back when the World Cup was little more than a new fangled competition, football was a different game. It was a man’s sport played by real men, so there was no diving, feigning injury, pink boots or over effeminate celebrations. Or was there? Here’s the winning goal from the 1930 final, Hector Castro’s header giving Uruguay and unassailable lead over Argentina. After a couple of schoolyard skips, Castro leaps lovingly into the outstretched arms of a jubilant team-mate. The pair clasp, embrace, then collapse and roll around the floor like in a meadow scene from a Mills and Boon novel. Who said todays footballers were soft?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RqlyrXZ4KM (skip to 3min)
8)Gordon Strachan – Scotlands appearance in Mexico 1986 was memorable for almost nothing – they finished bottom of their group, finished with just one point and only scored one goal. However that solitary strike was celebrated in typical gallows humour by wee Gordon Strachan. After putting the Scots one up against the Germans, Strachan raced to and tried to hurdle the ominously high perimeter advertising before realising he was 5ft 5” and couldn’t get over it. Instead, Strachan nonchalantly rested his leg on the hoardings giving the whole world an all too close up view of his pasty upper thigh region.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8n55P43-ug (skip to 2m 45s)
7)Ahn Jung Hwan – The South Koreans surprised everyone with their third place finish in 2002, and striker Ahn Jung Hwan raised a few more eyebrows with a dissenting celebration after he’d grabbed a late equaliser against the United States. Ahn’s impression of a speed-skater looked innocent enough at first, but was in fact a pop at the International Skating Union’s decision to strip a Korean skater of a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Controversial stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YlU37w1ngM
6)Ray Houghton – The Republic of Ireland always bring along their unique brand of colour and character to World Cup’s, none more so than in the home from home clash with Italy at the Giants Stadium in New York. The Irish were everywhere; decked out in green, sporting Guinness hats, clutching four leaf clovers and they even had their own lucky leprechaun called ray Houghton to score an improbable winner against the much fancied Italians. Houghton’s juicy lob over Gianluca Pagliuca was followed by a joyous little forward roly-poly ditty. Even Jack Charlton’s horrible flat peaked baseball cap couldn’t taper the celebrations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXauYVy_dws
5)Julius Agahowa – Eight years after Houghton’s forward roll, Nigerian striker Agahowa took acrobatic celebrations onto a new plain with his seven-flip somersault, complete with finish and landing after scoring against Sweden in Kobe. It’s safe to assume that Agahowa didn’t learn the manoeuvre from countryman Celestine Babayaro, who tried it after scoring for Chelsea in a friendly at Stevenage... and broke his ankle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z77qO25ji3c
4)Diego Maradona – El Diego, it’s sacrilege to leave him out of any hastily cobbled together World Cup top ten list, but the little genius thoroughly deserves his place in this one for his manic, wild-eyed, rabid screaming fit taken out on a well placed camera lurking on the sidelines after he’d blasted home a clinical left-footed strike against Greece at USA 94. Maradona said his reaction was at the frustration of having his career stalled for three years after being banned for taking cocaine in 1991. A week later, he’d failed another drugs test and was on his way home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27mgGlHPPV0&feature=fvw
3)Finidi George – The Nigerians made a big splash at their first World Cup appearance , and that splash was very nearly unceremoniously added to by Finidi George imitating a dog having a, err.. a splash? After breaking away in the final minute against Greece, the Ajax flyer daintily lobbed the onrushing Greek keeper to seal a 2-0 win, before jogging to the corner flag, walking round on all fours like stray mut in the park and cocking his leg against the corner flag. The only relief was that George didn’t actually relieve himself, which would have been interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_mwyGKBSwI
2)Roger Milla – Cameroon were the one illuminating feature of a dull Italia 90 and much of that colour was down to the appearance of a 38-year-old striker they’d coaxed out of retirement. Roger Milla went onto score four goals, all from the bench and celebrated in true African style by producing a rhythmic hip gyration, finger pointing to the sky, around the nearest corner flag, best illustrated after he dispossessed the chaotic Colombian keeper Rene Higuita some 40 yards out to send his side through to a surprise quarter final place.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyGYJagvhoE
1)Marco Tardelli – no choreographed nonsense needed here. This is what it means to score the winning goal in a World Cup final. The now immortal ‘Tardelli scream’ came after the midfielder burst his lungs to join in and cap off a fine counter attack to put his Italian 2-0 up against the West Germans. As soon as the ball hit the net Tardelli turned and started a run to nowhere, picking up momentum and emotion with every step as the realisation of his achievements rose climactically to the surface. Tardelli, running to the touchline, fists pumping, head swaying, screaming ‘goal’, his face all contorted with ecstasy still remains one of the tournaments most iconic and endearing images.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br4e1tfL9ng&feature=related
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