Ce-le-bra-tion : The Acrobat

There’s a party goin on right here -A celebration to last throughout the years -  So bring your good times, and your laughter too -  We gonna celebrate your party with you

Come on now

Ce-le-bra-tion

- Kool and the Gang

Delivered over a series of posts,  Footy Factor pays tribute to the celebratory forms at the root of modern day football goal celebrations, permutations of which are performed all over the world.

The Acrobat

Nani trying to break an arm

Several of the more fit and mobile players perform acrobatic back flips and cartwheels following the scoring of a goal. Back in the late 1990s, Celestine Babayaro of Chelsea broke an ankle mis-executing a front flip after scoring. Babayaro was out injured for the season and told by the Chelsea managment not to perform the celebration again. More recently, Nani of Manchester United and Portugal performs a leap into the air followed by a flip and twist. Fortunately for the United medical staff, this celebration rarely occurs due to Nani infrequently finding the back of the net.