Search icon

Football

28th Sep 2016

Lionel Messi’s goal celebration: The touching reason behind it and what it means

SportsJOE

Lionel Messi has scored over 500 goals in his career.

The Barcelona forward is arguably the greatest player ever and has scored countless amazing, truly breathtaking goals.

messi3

Almost every time Messi scores he points to the sky, usually on his way back to his own half to prepare for the game to restart and score again.

Barcelona v Dynamo Kiev - UEFA Champions League

GettyImages-472364892

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JUNE 15: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group F match between Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina at Maracana on June 15, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

BARCELONA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 12: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and RC Deportivo La Coruna at Camp Nou on December 12, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

It turns out Messi’s celebration is in honour of his grandmother, who passed away before he made it big with Barca.

“I am doing this because I dedicate my goals to my grandmother. She took to me to football but now she can’t see how far I have come. Nevertheless, she continues to help me and my family,” Messi revealed a couple of years ago.

Messi’s grandmother brought him to his first football game, according to Luca Caioli, the author of a biography on the player.

A coach in Rosario, Messi’s hometown in Argentina, was reluctant to play him as a youngster due to his small stature, but Messi’s grandmother insisted the boy received a run-out.

“Put him on and you’ll see how well the little boy plays,” Messi’s grandmother told the coach, who replied: “OK, but I’m putting him near the touchline so that when he cries you can take him off yourself.”

She didn’t have to take him off, and the rest is history.

Catch up on the first episode of Football Friday Live…

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10