Lazio’s Antonio Candreva scored what would be the winner against Palermo in the 78th minute with a brilliant shot into the top corner, but then he made the mistake of going to celebrate with the fans and slipped along the way.
Goal celebration fail of the season? Antonio Candreva scores a screamer, runs into a wall and has to be subbed. http://t.co/kTyfaVmSht
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) February 22, 2015
Candreva had to come off as a result, but after the match, Lazio manager Stefano Pioli joked: “Fortunately it doesn’t appear to be anything serious. I prefer all injuries to be accompanied by a winning goal.”
As Reuters points out, the Italian international is latest in a long line of footballers who have injured themselves celebrating a goal. And not always one that they scored themselves.
Servette Geneva midfielder Paulo Diogo ripped off the top of his finger when his wedding ring got caught in the perimetre fence as he celebrated a Swiss league goal with supporters in 2004. Play was held up to search for the finger and he was booked for time-wasting.
Here’s video of that mad scene (warning: you can see his bone):
https://www.youtube.com/embed/qRzHu4heNiU
In 2008, Real Salt Lake’s Fabian Espindola sprained his ankle and had to exit an MLS match against the LA Galaxy after doing an acrobatic celebration for a goal that ended up being disallowed.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/B4UJQWSoTJA
Even the great Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not immune to celebration injuries. He managed to survive an overhead kick for Milan in 2010 just fine, but the seemingly innocuous fist pump he celebrated with ended up injuring his elbow.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dte9Z0KX7UA
Coritiba’s Joel suffered the most Looney Tunes-esque celebration injury when he jumped into a stairwell hidden behind the advertising hoardings after scoring last year.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/QSoQ9uVMyoo
Martin Palermo missed two months when he celebrated a goal with Villarreal fans in 2002, causing a concrete wall to crumble under their weight and breaking his tibia and fibula in the process.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/5D1UAjJ3AUE
The saddest instance of this, however, was that of Indian footballer Peter Biaksangzuala, who died as a result of landing on his neck while celebrating a goal.
The next time you score a goal, maybe just act like you didn’t.
