🔥 VI · Iconic Celebrations
Milla's corner-flag dance, Klinsmann's dive, Bebeto's cradle, Ronaldo's redemption, Mbappé's arms-folded cool. The choreography of joy that became as famous as the goals.
Part of World Cup
13 moments in this segment.
- — The Tardelli scream. After scoring in the 1982 final, Marco Tardelli sprints away shaking his head, fists clenched, screaming with tears in his eyes — "the Tardelli scream", perhaps the most emotional goal celebration ever captured on film.
- — Roger Milla scores at 42. Four years after his famous dance, Roger Milla returned at USA '94 and scored against Russia aged 42 — the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history, dancing once more at the corner flag.
- — Senegal's shirt-on-the-corner-flag dance. After Papa Bouba Diop scored the goal that beat France in 2002, the Senegal players laid his shirt on the corner flag and danced around it — one of the most joyful celebrations the World Cup has seen.
- — Ronaldo's redemption — two goals in the 2002 final. Four years after his mysterious collapse before the 1998 final, Ronaldo scores twice to beat Germany and win the 2002 World Cup — completing one of sport's greatest redemption arcs.
- — Miroslav Klose's front flip. Germany's Miroslav Klose, who would become the World Cup's all-time top scorer, celebrated his goals with a signature front somersault — a gymnastic flourish that became his trademark across four tournaments.
- — Grosso's "non ci credo" run vs Germany. Fabio Grosso wheels away in disbelief, screaming "non ci credo!" ("I don't believe it!"), after scoring deep in extra time of the 2006 semi-final against hosts Germany — one of Italian football's indelible images.
- — Colombia's synchronised dance vs Greece. After scoring at the 2014 World Cup, Colombia's players broke into a choreographed group dance — a joyful, perfectly synchronised routine led by James Rodríguez and Juan Cuadrado that became a viral hit.
- — Cristiano Ronaldo's "Siu" after his free kick. Cristiano Ronaldo completes a hat-trick against Spain with a stunning late free kick in 2018 and lands his trademark mid-air "Siu" — one of the most imitated celebrations of the modern game.
- — Mbappé's arms-folded cool. At 19, Kylian Mbappé scores in the 2018 final and celebrates with arms folded and a hint of a smile — the ice-cool pose of the heir apparent, becoming France's youngest World Cup final scorer since Pelé.
- — Bebeto's baby-cradle celebration. After scoring against the Netherlands in 1994, Bebeto rocks an imaginary baby in honour of his newborn son — joined by Romário and Mazinho. One of the most copied celebrations of all time.
- — Klinsmann's diving celebration. Jürgen Klinsmann, mocked for his tendency to go to ground, turns it into a trademark: a full-length forward dive after every goal — a self-aware celebration that became iconic at USA '94.
- — Roger Milla's corner-flag dance. The 38-year-old Roger Milla scores for Cameroon in 1990 and wiggles his hips at the corner flag — the most joyful celebration in World Cup history, performed by the tournament's oldest goalscorer.
- — Mbappé's hat-trick in the 2022 final. Kylian Mbappé scores a hat-trick in the 2022 final — the first since 1966 — dragging France level twice; his ferocious celebrations couldn't prevent Argentina winning on penalties, but cemented his status as Messi's heir.
