10 footballers who cashed in on their celebrations
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Football players have always used their on-field achievements to progress their careers, but, in recent years, they have also improved their capacity to use their goal celebrations as marketing tools.
By capitalising on their viral potential and creating new streams of income through sponsorship deals, merchandise sales, and branding, football players are now profiting handsomely from their iconic celebrations—which were formerly only emotional expressions of delight.
The following cases highlight how certain football players have turned their goal celebrations into profitable ventures.
1. Cole Palmer – 'Ice Cold' celebration
Cole Palmer's unique "ice cold" celebration—in which he shivers in response to a goal, a motion that has since gone viral—has become intricately synonymous with his meteoric ascent in football.
With the intention of putting the name "Cold Palmer" into a range of products, including cars, drinks, and clothes, Palmer has decided to trademark it in expectation of its possible viral sensation.
Should Palmer's "Cold Palmer" brand be successful and bring in millions of dollars, he might be among the first English football players to make significant income from a celebration.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo – 'Siiii' celebration
Like many other facets of Cristiano Ronaldo's personal brand, the "Siiii" celebration has become a legendary and instantly identifiable part of global sports.
A phenomenon in itself, the celebration—in which Ronaldo jumps, spins, and lands while yelling "Siiii!" (the Spanish word for "yes")—has attracted a following in a range of media, including video games and merchandise.
Recognising the great popularity of the celebration, Ronaldo boldly decided in 2017 to trademark the word "Siiii" in order to control its use in business negotiations.
By acting in this manner, he was able to capitalise on the great popularity of the gesture—a key component of his branding—which produced lucrative endorsement deals with well-known companies, including Nike and Clear shampoo, valued in millions of dollars.
3. Paul Pogba – Dab celebration
Paul Pogba developed a dab celebration while playing for Manchester United that gained recognition globally, although he was not the first athlete to profit from this viral celebration.
Both fans and celebs were enthralled with this basic dance move that went popular on the internet and started copying it.
Recognising the potential for virality of the celebration, Pogba included the dab in his Adidas advertising campaigns.
The link of Pogba's personal brand with the party raised his profile, as shown by a well-known ad in which he dabbed while sporting Adidas gear.
The great popularity of the dab resulted in even big sports networks like ESPN featuring it in their highlight reels, thus strengthening Pogba's reputation and generating lucrative endorsement deals with sponsors all around.
4. Gareth Bale – Heart celebration ('Eleven of Hearts')
Even Gareth Bale, who chose the heart-shaped hand signal as an homage to his family and his number 11 jersey, was able to turn a small gesture into a profitable enterprise. After trademarking the phrase "Eleven of Hearts," Bale started using it in his personal brand since he saw the commercial possibilities in this symbolic action.
Bale even worked with Adidas to create a line with his distinctive insignia, and the heart-shaped celebration immediately found favour on shirts, posters, and mementos.
This was a perfect illustration of how a football player's personal brand might be deftly incorporated into more ambitious business projects, turning a personal moment of enjoyment into a major tool for multinational corporations.
5. Antoine Griezmann – 'Take the L' dance
Inspired by the famous video game Fortnite, Antoine Griezmann's "Take the L" dance became an instant hit after he performed it to celebrate a goal.
In the aftermath of the routine going viral and attracting younger viewers outside of the football scene, Griezmann started using it in his endorsements, especially for computers and gaming items, realising its economic potential.
2018 saw Griezmann earn a big contract with PlayStation, the firm running Fortnite, which used the celebration in its marketing promotions to draw in new players.
Griezmann's ability to link his celebration with a well-known video game character was crucial in landing sponsorships from firms like Intel and Puma.
6. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Superhero mask celebrations
Among football's most unforgettable and creative post-goal celebrations were those of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who most famously wore the masks of Marvel characters, including Spider-Man and Black Panther.
Taking advantage of the chance to advertise himself during these celebrations, Aubameyang pleased supporters and attracted major media attention.
As part of his 2019 Puma relationship, Aubameyang promoted a limited-edition pair of Puma boots with his Black Panther mask.
Aubameyang's own brand profited from boots and masks, and the campaign was an absolute success.
7. Jesse Lingard – 'J-Lingz' celebration
Jesse Lingard's "J-Lingz" celebration—which had him spelling his nickname with his hands—became a viral approach for him to interact with his supporters and a mirror of his demeanour.
In the real sense of entrepreneurship, Lingard founded "J-Lingz," his own brand, to market caps and t-shirts with the gesture and logo. This action brought the celebration to a whole new level.
By planning a party and gaining sponsorships with big companies like Nike, he was able to prove a strong correlation between his own brand value and his carefree, trendy image.
This is yet another example of a player turning their on-field performance into a business venture by means of their trademark actions, thus creating income off the pitch.
8. Daniel Sturridge – Arm-wave dance
One of Daniel Sturridge's foundations of personal brand is the arm-wave routine, a unique celebration he popularised when playing for Liverpool.
Thanks to the dance's broad social media distribution by supporters who loved it, Sturridge was able to include it in his sponsorship agreements.
Advertisements featuring the arm-wave dance helped him to gain endorsement deals that capitalised on its virality and made him even more relevant to younger viewers.
9. Kylian Mbappé – Crossed arms pose
One of the most identifiable celebrations in world football is the crossed-arms stance Kylian Mbappé inherited from his younger brother, which signifies confidence and swagger.
Mbappé immediately trademarked the stance as his own, and he has since used it in many sponsorship campaigns, including Nike's "Just Do It" commercials.
In commercials for Hublot, Mbappé also used the crossed arms celebration to reinforce his reputation as one of the most marketable athletes in the world while also highlighting the luxury watch firm.
He shows how sportsmen may use their unique skills to draw sponsors and improve their marketability by turning an everyday celebration into a branding tool.
10. Lionel Messi – Finger point to the sky
A mark of his closeness to his family and humility, Lionel Messi's modest "finger point to the sky" celebration pays last respect to his late grandma.
Messi's celebration is less commercialised than some of the others on this list, but his gesture has nonetheless been included in ads for his Adidas shoe line and even charitable initiatives, thus strengthening his personal branding.
Since the celebration is both emotional and simple, which fits his reputation as a grounded, family-orientated person, Messi is the perfect brand ambassador for businesses trying to present an image comparable to his.