6 footballers who celebrated scoring against their former team: Grealish, Rooney…
Declan Rice opted not to celebrate as he rifled in an opener for England in their Nations League clash with the Republic of Ireland, but he’s the exception to the rule when it comes to footballers celebrating against their former teams.
It splits opinion, does the celebration against a former team. Some fans couldn’t care less, while others will see one raised arm or even half a fist pump and their month will be ruined as their head is immediately sent to Mars.
Rice’s non-celebration against the Republic of Ireland might be the first of its kind at international level. With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at six players who weren’t afraid to throw respect out of the window and celebrate in front of former employers.
Jack Grealish
Almost 15 minutes after Rice smashed home the opener for England inside the Aviva Stadium, it just had to be Grealish to follow it up and double the Three Lions’ lead – another player who started their international career with the Republic of Ireland before switching allegiance.
Unlike Rice, however, Grealish had no interest in trying to work his way into a ‘Top 10 football respect moments’ YouTube video, instead immediately bursting into celebration as the Aviva melted into unprecedented levels of headloss, while fans quickly disposed of their ‘the snakes are back’ banner.
Not even WWE could cook up such a script.
Emmanuel Adebayor
Grealish might just have made the history books with his goal and celebration against the Irish, but no controversial celebration will ever top Adebayor’s against Arsenal.
Just about a month after making a £25million switch from north London to Manchester to sign for Manchester City, the striker headed in a crucial third for his new club at the Etihad Stadium in an eventual 4-2, before running the entire length of the pitch to knee slide in front of the away end.
Imagine being in that Arsenal away section. Imagine the headloss. And then having to get a train or a coach home. Stop the world, we’re getting off.
Angel Di Maria
It appears loyalty in football in Di Maria’s eyes is about as valuable as a chocolate teapot, with the Argentine having absolutely no regard for his former employers – and no, we’re not just on about Manchester United.
The feud between Di Maria and the Red Devils is well documented, with the winger pulling no punches on his failed year in Manchester and subsequent transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. However, as well as celebrating against United whenever he’s had the opportunity, Di Maria has also celebrated against Real Madrid.
When Les Parisiens met Los Blancos in the Champions League in 2019, Di Maria slotted two goals past Thibaut Courtois and was extremely eager to celebrate them, which prompted a completely measured response from Real fans, as you might be able to imagine. Not.
Wayne Rooney
Rooney received plenty of taunts and criticism from the Everton faithful every time he encountered them in his first few years after making the move to Manchester United, but he’d had enough by 2007.
Everton found themselves 2-0 up at Goodison Park that April with United chasing down the Premier League title, but blew their lead and let United back into the game. With proceedings level at 2-2, Rooney popped up at the back post and fired in a winner, before grasping the United badge on his chest and kissing it in an eventual 4-2 win, where he also grabbed an assist.
And because the first time was so nice, he just had to do it twice. Rooney kissed the United badge at Goodison again a year later after being booked for a foul on Mikel Arteta, just to rile up the crowd. Excellent heel work.
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Danny Welbeck
A Mancunian down south, United fans had no reason to hate Welbeck, but they also weren’t too bothered when Arsenal took him off their hands back in 2014.
They were, however, later in the season when he headed in a winner against his former club at the Emirates and celebrated without hesitation.
Welbeck has never been afraid of scoring against United, bagging against them six times in all competitions since leaving and never being afraid to celebrate.
Kingsley Coman
We can’t really blame Coman too much for this one, considering he happened to bag against his former employers in one of the most important games he’ll ever play.
Hansi Flick’s all-conquering Bayern Munich side met Thomas Tuchel’s deadly PSG in an empty-stadium Champions League final in 2020, winning the trophy – and subsequently a continental treble – thanks to Coman’s finish early on in the second half, securing a 1-0 win.
The lack of fans due to the pandemic dampened the moment somewhat, but even still, it was a brilliant moment for the Frenchman.