THE GREATEST footballing celebrations of all time have been revealed — with Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Siu’ and Peter Crouch’s robot dance at the top of the list.
A poll of 2,000 fans of the beautiful game also saw Paul Gascoigne‘s ‘dentist chair’ from Euro ’96 and Lionel Messi’s ‘the Barcelona shirt’ moment feature in the top 20.
Other notable celebrations featured Roger Milla’s flagpole dance at Italia ’90 and Jurgen Klinsmann’s dive celebration in 1994.
It also emerged 55 per cent would love to see more trademark celebrations from players when they score.
The research was commissioned by OLBG which has also created a fun quiz, which assigns you a goal celebration based on a few personality questions.
Jake Ashton, football editor for the brand, said; “Football celebrations are one of the best things about the game.
“It’s a moment in time, where all the training and hard work to be able to score comes out for the player.
“Looking at the list, there are some amazing celebrations from over the years, and it’s great to get fans’ views on the ones they rank as most memorable.
“For me, it’s all part of the game and these stand out moments of joy that come after a goal always give us something to talk about away from the rest of the match highlights.”
The study also found 68 per cent think seeing a trademark goal celebration from players is a joy to watch.
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Those who contributed to the list of most memorable moments said they help players stand out and be remembered (46 per cent) and bring a playful edge to the game (43 per cent).
With 38 per cent claiming they turn goals into entertainment beyond the pitch.
But 22 per cent have even copied or recreated a goal celebration themselves, with Ronaldo’s ‘Siu’ (52 per cent) and Cole Palmer’s ‘It’s Cold’ (24 per cent) the most common.
Of those who’ve replicated these moments, most did so during a kickabout (55 per cent) or while watching football on TV (54 per cent).
Although 44 per cent admit to doing so simply to celebrate something they achieved at home.
Humour or playfulness and a connection with fans (both 38 per cent) are seen as key to an iconic celebration, with 32 per cent saying it should include a signature pose.
Inspiring younger fans
The research, commissioned by OnePoll, found 83 per cent think football celebrations also influence younger fans to copy players.
And 82 per cent feel they have a positive impact on the game for the scoring team.
But with the introduction of VAR, fans believe players now celebrate more cautiously (39 per cent), with reactions becoming less spontaneous and more subdued (31 per cent).
Ashton for OLBG added: “Seeing people are wanting to replicate these celebrations not just in a football or sporting setting, but at home doing everyday things is great.
“It shows how impactful these moments can be when they happen in the game.
“Yes, the introduction of VAR at the top level has meant sometimes these celebrations are stuttered.
“But this shouldn’t stop them all together, as the moment the ball hits the back of the net, even if it is checked, is still special.”
TOP 20 MOST ICONIC GOAL CELEBRATIONS
Here’s who football fans think have the best celebrations:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – ‘Siu’
2. Peter Crouch – ‘The robot’
3. Lionel Messi – The Barcelona shirt’
4. Paul Gascoigne – ‘The dentist chair’
5. Eric Cantona – ‘Stop and stare’
6. Alan Shearer – ‘Single arm raised’
7. Thierry Henry – ‘Knee slide’
8. Jurgen Klinsmann – ‘Klinsmann dive’
9. Roger Milla – ‘Corner flag dance’
10. Cole Palmer – ‘It’s cold’
11. Mo Salah – ‘Prayer pose’
12. Kylian Mbappe – ‘Arms crossed’
13. Robbie Keane – ‘Cartwheel and forward roll with machine gun finale’
14. Chloe Kelly – ‘Overhead shirt swing’
15. Wayne Rooney – Knock out punch’
16. Mario Balotelli – ‘Why always me’
17. Fastino Asprilla – Acrobatic flips’
18. Marcus Rashford – ‘Finger to temple’
19. Rabrizio Ravanelli – ‘Shirt over his head’
20. Emmanuel Adebayor – ‘Knee slide vs Arsenal’
