Top 11 World Cup Celebrations

The World Cup is the ultimate dream for any footballer, if not any sport inclined person.

I’m sure we have all harboured dreams of pulling on our nation’s jersey, striding out in front of thousands of fans, and score the winning goal to lift that little golden trophy.

Yes they may be dreams, but for the talented few who actually get the chance to represent their country on the premier stage, not only do they get the opportunity to play against the world’s best, they also have the chance of making history if they score. That’s right, they get the opportunity to celebrate, and boy do they celebrate in style.

Here are some of the best goal celebrations to ever be flaunted at the World Cup.

11. Falcao – 1982

Brazilian midfielder, Falcao starts of our list of the Top 11 World Cup celebrations with his effort in his team’s 3-2 defeat at the hands of Italy in the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
The former Roma player cut inside on the right wing to sweetly hit a left footed effort which nestled into the Italian net. What followed were scenes of jubilation which included Falcao sprinting towards his team’s bench and jumping up and down with his team mates.
They joy soon ended as Italy went on to win the tie which sent Brazil crashing out.

10. Ahn Jung-Hwan – 2002
South Korea were joint hosts in 2002 with Japan and enjoyed a memorable tournament which saw them reach the semi-final stage and lose out to Turkey in the third place playoff.
One of the star men was Ahn Jung-Hwan and his goal against USA was followed by an interesting celebration. After nodding a 77th minute header past the American goalkeeper, Ahn imitated the actions of a speed-skater. This was in reference to the controversial disqualification of Korean short track speed skater Kim Dong-Sung in the 1500 metres at the 2002 Winter Olympics, which allowed an American to win.

9. Gordon Strachan – 1986
Now this celebration doesn’t have any fancy dance moves or any gimmicks, but it isn’t half funny!
Scotland midfielder, Gordon Strachan had scored against Germany in Mexico ’86 to which he wanted to celebrate with the fans. Now normally this would mean jumping over the advertisement boards. Strachan is 5ft 5ins, that’s little. So when he charged towards the boards the ginger Scotsman backed out, as evident in his little ‘jump’ followed by placing his right leg on top of the board.
Without doubt the poorest attempt to jump the advertisement boards ever seen, however it was a great save and Strachan’s overall attempt to look cool was still achieved. Kind of.

8. Papa Bouba Diop – 2002
Senegal faced highly rated France in the group stages of World Cup 2002 and produced the shock of the tournament. Papa Bouba Diop scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory for the African team.
The gargantuan midfielder, now of cash strapped Premier League club, Portsmouth scrambled the winner on 30 minutes after missing at the first attempt. Bouba Diop jogged to the corner flag, removed his jersey which was then placed on the floor, then was joined by the rest of his team before continuing to dance around his jersey as if around the camp fire back home in Senegal.

7. Diego Maradona – 1994.
Everybody knows the quality that this little man had, and everybody knows the trouble this he’s been in. The World Cup in USA of 1994 saw a great team move by Argentina, finished off by Diego Maradona followed by a celebration which would have had little American children quaking in their Doc Martins.
Maradona smashed a left-footed strike into the roof of the net following a swift, one-touch passing move against Greece, a fantastic goal celebrated by running directly to the camera and staring at the lens which still freaks me out today. Call it passion, call it determination, whatever you call it, it was pretty much Maradona’s last act in that World Cup as he was sent home after the match against Nigeria. The now Argentina coach failed a drug test following his suspicious celebration and return to form.

6. Rashidi Yekini – 1994
Nigeria’s debut World Cup goal is one which all Nigerian’s will remember, however it is the celebration which other football fans will remember.
Rashidi Yekini was leading the line for the youthful looking Super Eagles in 1994 and after tapping home a pull back from just a few yards out, Yekini followed the ball into the net and proceeded to tangle himself up in it. He put his face into net and clenched his fists in celebration, followed by putting his arms through the holes and blowing kisses to the Nigerian support. Yekini was clearly very emotional in what is another classic celebration.

5. Bebeto – 1994
Now this celebration which marks the start of our top five is probably the most copied that still does the rounds today - The Cradle.
Brazilian forward Bebeto had celebrated the birth of his third child several days before the quarter final tie with Holland. Not content with keeping this news quiet, after brilliantly rounding Dutch goalkeeper, Ed de Goey, Bebeto ran over to the near touchline to pretend to rock a baby. Teammates Mazinho and Romario decided to join in to make the whole thing look incredibly joyous. What made it look even better was that the three men were in sync. All that was needed was a cheesy ‘90’s dance track to be dubbed in and it would be the World Cup’s version of the Macarena.

4. Brain Laudrup – 1998
It was Brazil versus Denmark in this quarter-final tie in France, with the South American team clearly the favourites. However the underdogs turned in a performance which actually made a cracker of a game. The Danes took the lead through Martin Jorgensen’s second minute strike, however that early goal was cancelled out by two Brazilian ones by Bebeto and Rivaldo.
Denmark had to get back into the game, cue our celebration hero. Brian Laudrup capitalised on the flamboyant, Roberto Carlos’ extravagant attempt of a bicycle kick clearance (which he unsurprisingly missed), by smashing home the equaliser. His celebration was as cool as you would like. The Danish midfielder skidded to the floor to leaning on his hand, feet crossed, as if lounging on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro.
The joy was short lived however, as Rivaldo completed his double just ten minutes later. Denmark may have exited the tournament, but at least Laudrup looked super-cool.

3. Finidi George – 1994
Nigeria may have had their reputation of being dangerous somewhat diminished in recent competitions, however in the World Cup of 94 the Super Eagles had that reputation fully intact, reaching 5th in the FIFA World Rankings in April that year. In USA they had the likes Emmanuel Amuneke, Jay Jay Okocha, Rashidi Yekini and the man who slots in at number three in our list, Finidi George.
The Nigerians were up against Greece in the group stages at Boston’s Foxboro Stadium and after absorbing pressure from their opponents they started a counter attach down the left wing. George provided support from the right, received the ball and continued to smartly chip the goalkeeper, Karkamanis, from the edge of the box.
What came next must have been inspired from walking the streets of Boston before the game, as George ran next to the advertising boards, dropped to all fours and crawled as if imitating a dog. George then lifted his back leg in homage to the K-9 species to ‘leave his mark’ on World Cup celebration history.

2. Roger Milla – Italia ‘90
It was a close run thing, but Cameroon’s Roger Milla, even at the youthful age of 38, couldn’t quite make it to number one.
At the request of the Cameroon President, Roger Milla came out of retirement to help the Indomitable Lions fortunes in Italia ’90, and somewhat surprisingly he scored four goals in the tournament helping his team reach the quarter-finals. But it wasn’t his knack for scoring goals which led him to become a star, it was his celebration.
Milla decided he would celebrate each goal with some funky dance moves around the corner flag. It wasn’t choreographed like something from Pineapple Dance Studios, but it did lead the way for future players to be imaginative once they had scored.
Yes ladies and gentlemen, this man changed the face of goal celebrations for all time.

1. Marco Tardelli – 1982 World Cup Final
The image of Italy’s Marco Tardelli wheeling away after scoring in the 1982 final is one of the most iconic moments of World Cup history.
Tardelli scored the second goal of the game against German opposition with a left footed drive from the edge of the area. The Azzuri man, clearly caught up in emotion, ran towards the Italian team bench punching his fists, shaking his head, repeatedly screaming “Goal!” all whilst crying tears of what can only be immense joy.
The celebration captures what is so special about the beautiful game – the emotion, the passion, the excitement and the realisation of the dream. The ‘Tardelli Cry’, as it is affectionately known, is surely the best celebration in World Cup history.