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Sunday, 6 October, 2002, 13:49 GMT 14:49 UK
Your view on Sava's celebration
Fulham's Facundo Sava celebrates scoring against Charlton by producing a face mask from his sock.

Have you seen a celebration to match it? And where does it rank among your favourite goal celebrations?

HAVE YOUR SAY

After putting Fulham 1-0 up, the Argentine striker jogged along the touchline, produced a face mask from his sock, placed it over his eyes and continued to celebrate with his team-mates.

The celebration stems from his time at Gimnasia la Plata in his homeland, when he marked his goals by wearing wolf masks handed to him by the crowd.

Past goal celebrations have tended to be more self-explanatory, with t-shirt slogans or hand gestures the preferred choice of the Premiership striker.

Sava's antics are a new one on us, but have you seen a celebration to match it? Send us your favourite goal celebrations.


This debate is now closed. A selection of your e-mails appear below.

I remember being rather amused by what happened to Marco Gabiadini after scoring for Sunderland. If I remember rightly, he converted a penalty then ran into the arms of a rather queasy looking young lad in the crowd who then vomited over the Makem striker. Heavenly days!
Andrew, UK


At QPR, someone ran on and gave the prematurely bald Terry Mancini a wig!
Peter Hayes, England
Sava's celebration isn't strange here in Argentina. Football players usually celebrate their goals in some funny and crazy ways. It was common for Save to celebrate wearing masks (the first one was a "wolf" mask, because Gimnasia de la Plata are called "The Wolves").

I also remember Uruguayan striker Sebastian Abreu, who played here for San Lorenzo, scoring and celebrating wearing a crow mask (San Lorenzo's supporters are called "Crows").

I also remember a bunch of Estudiantes de La Plata players celebrating playing with cards near the corner flag. And a team from the Nacional B league celebrated their goals with funny hats.
Rodolfo Poli, Argentina

It's gotta be Rob Earnshaw's flip followed by a Milla-esque wiggle after scoring against Germany.
Michael Bryon, Wales

My uncle Ron was watching a match in Auckland when a guy ran onto the pitch immediately before the match with a car door. With the stewards trying to catch him, he carefully placed it on the centre-spot and ran out of the stadium, leaving a scene of confusion and bewilderment.

That was a year or two ago, and to this day, no-one has found out why this guy did it, or even who he was.
Tom Heywood, Britain

I remember seeing Stanley Matthews score a delightful goal for Blackpool against Wolves, dribbling round three men in the process (the left back twice) and then shooting through a one-foot gap on the near post when the goalie thought he was going to cross to Mortensen.


The strangest thing I ever saw was at QPR when someone ran on and gave the prematurely bald Terry Mancini a wig!
Peter Hayes, England

As Matthews jogged back to the centre, Billy Wright, the Wolves captain and centre-half, shook Stan by the hand. Now if that's not strange by today's standards, what is?
Mal Walker, Australia

As a young Sunderland fan watching his side engaged in a thrilling race to try and get promoted ahead of the likes of Stoke and Crystal Palace back in 1979, the memory of television pictures of Alan Brown charging away after scoring at Wrexham on the last day of the season sticks in my mind.

Not least because of the immortal quote for Sunderland fans (from Gerald Sinstadt, I think?) of "It's carnival time at the Racecourse!"
Robert Crosby, Nottingham, UK

Frank Lampard following in his dad's footsteps running around the corner flag against Leeds!
Rich Loosley, England

Nothing to do with scoring - but the strangest thing I ever saw was at QPR. Someone ran on and gave the prematurely bald Terry Mancini a wig! Pictures of it still pop up in "football funny" books.
Peter Hayes, England

Funniest celebration has to be Rio Ferdinand's after his goal against Denmark during the World Cup - he showed he has no rhythm!
Brownie, UK


Who can forget the Roger Milla wiggle?
Richard Pasco, UK

I still think the most amazing goal celebration was Stuart Pierce when he hammered that penalty in Euro '96. The emotion in his face was unreal, and everyone watching could feel his joy and relief.

A single punch in the air has never been more powerful....
Sham, UK

Who can forget the Roger Milla wiggle?
Richard Pasco, UK

I like a celebration from the 1994 World Cup. Nigeria were playing Greece and the Greek coach upset the Nigerian players with some pre match comments. A Nigerian player responded by celebrating a goal by going on all fours and acting like a dog, even cocking his leg! Superb!!!!!
Glenn Tookey, England

Harmless bit of fun. As long as it's not offensive there should be more of it. We need a few more jokers in the Premiership. I thought it was quite funny.
Rob, Eng


Being a big Spurs fan I think the only one that counts is Robbie's acrobatics
Chris, England

I support Grimsby Town. Could somebody tell me what a goal celebration is please?
Mark Rogers, England

I had been searching for the appropriate celebration for my goal scoring - and when Jurgen Klinsmann started his dive celebration in the Premiership with Spurs I decided to give it a try.

On a wet Sunday morning I was on the brink of a hat-trick - and in the 87 minute I scored to make it 3-0 and my hat-trick secure. So I ran towards the corner flag and slid like Klinsmann although the problem was my shorts had come off in the rain and slid right off the pitch.

But this is the funny bit - with no shorts in front of a crowd of about 50 I was sent off for time wasting as I had to go off the pitch. No shorts - no game - and no hat-trick as the goal had also been disallowed - worst nightmare - cool celebration though!
Christian, Ireland

Not a bad celebration, but being a big Spurs fan I think the only one that counts is Robbie's acrobatics.
Chris, England

I like Alan Shearer's celebration where he puts one arm in the air and runs about, or the one where he puts one arm in the air and runs about!!
Bob Holnes, England


LuaLua's acrobatic celebrations are the best!
Martin, England

Here in the US there are a lot of Mexican and Hispanic citizens. Thus, in my soccer league we play a lot of Hispanic teams. Before every game we play against a Hispanic team, my dad makes me a shirt from his soccer uniform company, and on the shirt I always have a weird and random comment in Spanish.

For example, my favourite has to be the time I wore one that said "Tengo un gato en mi cabeza" which means "I have a cat in my head". So when I score, I take off my shirt and reveal to the Spanish speaking kids the undershirt, which causes them to look at each other and laugh hysterically.
Alex Hughes, USA

In the 70's Aldershot had a player called Murray Brodie. We nicknamed him "The Count" as he always looked like he was biting the scorer's neck when he jumped up to plant a congratulatory kiss in him.
Paul Little, England

The goal celebration was original, but being a Newcastle fan I would have to say that LuaLua's acrobatic celebrations are the best!
Martin, England

The oddest celebration was about four seasons ago when Kenny Dalglish was still at Newcastle. Temuri Ketsbaia had just scored a crucial goal for Newcastle, but to celebrate, he avoided his team-mates and proceeded to kick the advertising hoardings very hard indeed.


In all of my years supporting Fulham I have never seen anything like this before - I think that is very strange
Grant, England

It was around this time that many onlookers questioned the sanity of the bald-headed Georgian.
Mike Serieys, France

The goal celebration was "unique". But the best goal celebration has to be when Asprilla took off his Newcastle shirt and waved it to the fans on the corner flag.
Trystan Dafydd, South Africa

Senegal's celebrations throughout the World Cup, where they would all dance round the shirt on the ground.
Trevor, England

I'd have to agree with Dave from Manchester (below) because I'm also a Man Utd fan. Though that mask one is probably the weirdest I've ever seen.
Tom, Lake District, England

I think the most bizarre celebration was Fowler's against Everton -bending and snorting the sidelines!
Abuu Emad, Tanzania

The best celebration was the one Gazza did after scoring the goal against Scotland - when he was laid on the floor with people pouring water down his neck.
Mike, Chester, England

That celebration was just strange. But being a Man Utd fan my favourite celebration would have to be Giggs' when he scored that great goal against arsenal in the FA Cup - just pure passion and relief. It summed up how we all felt. Also, Lee Sharpe's goal celebration by singing into the corner flag.
Dave, Manchester, England

In all of my years supporting Fulham I have never seen anything like this before - I think that is very strange.
Grant, England

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