Top 5 Most Controversial Goal Celebrations Ever – Ex Arsenal And Liverpool Stars In The List

When a player scores in a big game, it is understandable that emotion and adrenaline will be flowing through their veins and they want to celebrate their goal in a flamboyant fashion, though some are just plain weird, and others should probably not have happened.

5. Adebayor – Manchester City vs Arsenal – 2009

Saying Emmanuel Adebayor is an unpopular player among Arsenal fans is an understatement. Arsenal fans hate him. After scoring against Arsenal in 2009. he ran all the way to the other end of the pitch to celebrate before the travelling gooners. In the same match, he stamped on Ex-Arsenal captain Robin van Persie, for which he was banned for three games.

2. Mark Bosnich – Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur – 1996

Another one of those “What the hell were you thinking” moments. In a match between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, Villa and former Manchester United keeper Mark Bosnich celebrated by offering Tottenham fans, comprised mainly of Jews, an Adolf Hitler impersonation, an action that was met with widespread disgust and criticism and ended with Bosnich getting a £1000 fine from the FA. Many people believe that he got off lightly considering the gravity of his offense.

3. Paolo Di Canio – Lazio vs Juventus – 2005

Ex-Lazio player and former Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio was caught offering the Fascist salute to Lazio fans on a number of occasions, most prominent being in a match against Juventus in 2005. A self-confessed Fascist, Di Canio associated himself with the left-wing politics of the Lazio fans. For his Fascist salute, he was banned for one match and fined £7,000. Di Canio later tried to justify his actions and almost tried to glorify fascism, not a wise move when coming to his global reputation.

2. Robbie Fowler – Liverpool vs Everton – 1999

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler’s “Cocaine” celebration will probably be remembered as the most controversial. In a Merseyside Derby, after scoring against Everton, Fowler proceeded to kneel down on all fours and pretended to snort cocaine off the touchline. Apparently this was in response to Everton fans’ accusation that Fowler was using drugs. Whether that is true or not is debatable, but what is not debatable is the fact that the club did not appreciate his behaviour, and Fowler was fined £60,000 and slapped with a four-match ban.

1. Diego Maradona – Argentina vs Greece – 1994

Even though this is not controversial celebration but what followed was controversial, Diego Maradona’s celebration against Greece in 1994 is one of the wildest celebration in the history of the beautiful game. After scoring the third goal, Maradona ran towards the camera, running, screaming and shouting. The intense celebration aroused suspicion of drug usage and he was was chucked out of the World cup after failing the drug test.