On July 1, 2024, a Georgian-language Facebook account that publishes religion-related content and conspiracies published a video collage, which is composed of photos taken at different times for current and former football players. The photo material mainly includes episodes of celebrating goals scored by football players. The account links the gestures shown by the football players in the mentioned photos with Satanism, and the football players themselves, according to it, are “servants of Lucifer.” It should be noted that the video was originally shared on X by the account Vision4theBlind on June 16.
The claims made about the symbols shown in the video are conspiracy theories and not based on evidence. “Myth Detector” offers explanations of gestures made by different players.
As a rule, football players try to have their own, unique style of celebrating a goal, by which they will be remembered by the audience. In many cases, celebrating a goal is also related to the personal life of football players, and by doing so, they may show respect to their family, city, country, an exemplary person, or they may even pay respect to a deceased relative.
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal is a football player for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team, and when celebrating a goal, he displays the number 304 with his hands. The number 304 is the last 3 digits of Yamal’s residential area zip code (08304). With this designation, the young player shows respect for the place where he grew up. The footballer was born in Esplugas de Llobregat and grew up in Rocafonda, Mataró, whose postcode is (08304), so that’s where 304 comes from.
Marco Reus
The next photo shows German player Marco Reus, of Borussia Dortmund, who scored a goal in the 22nd minute of a German Bundesliga match against Stuttgart on November 1, 2013, and celebrated in the style of American rapper Jay Z. Shortly before the match, Reus attended Jay-Z’s concert and paid tribute to the American rapper by scoring a goal. With his hands, Reus depicted a diamond, a sign that the American hip-hop artist often uses in his music videos and live concerts.
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney’s gesture, according to Rooney himself, is dedicated to his wife’s sister, who died in 2013 at the age of 14.
Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku celebrated his Manchester United goal against Bournemouth with a similar gesture on April 18, 2018. He drew a diamond with his hands. Shortly before the match, Lukaku signed a contract with Roc Nation Sport, a company founded by American rapper Jay-Z, and the goal-like celebration is also related to this story. Depicting diamonds with hands is associated with the American rapper.
Vinicius Junior
On October 3, 2023, Vinicius scored a goal against Napoli in the Champions League. His gesture is also related to the American rapper Jay Z.
Dele Alli
Tottenham’s Dele Alli celebrates his goal against Newcastle in the opening round of the 2018 Premier League with the gesture shown in the photo. The gesture went viral, with everyone in the football world scrambling to emulate Alli and get a similar sign right. As Dele Alli explains, he learned to draw a similar sign from the son of his team-mate Jamie Vardy in the English football team, and it has no special meaning. During the 2018 World Cup, the footballers were given the opportunity to spend time with their family members for a short time, and that’s when Vardi’s son Ali showed the said gesture.
Amad Diallo
Amad Diallo pays tribute to his deceased teammate Willy Ta Bi, who died of liver cancer in 2021. It was Willy Ta Bi who celebrated the goal with such a gesture in Atalanta.
Anthony Modeste
Anthony Modeste often celebrates a goal with the gesture shown in the photo below. Here it probably means binoculars or glasses. It should be noted that many football players celebrate the goal with a similar gesture, including the player of the Georgian national team, Georges Mikautadze. Football players give different meanings to such a gesture. For example, Arsenal forward Leandro Trossari celebrates goals at his son’s request, and Scotland’s John McGinn makes a similar gesture in solidarity with his nephew/niece and children who have to wear glasses to play football.
The conspiracy theory, as if the mentioned gesture is a part of Masonic symbolism, was also spread in the case of Georges Mikautadze, which was debunked by “Myth Detector” earlier.
Alejandro Garnacho
The photo shows Manchester United’s Argentinian player Alejandro Garnacho, who celebrated the defeat of Barcelona in the Europa League playoffs in this style. Barcelona player Pedre also celebrates goals, he dedicates this celebration to his father, who wears glasses. Garnacho’s designation was met with criticism.
Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Lisandro Martinez
This photo shows Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, and Lisandro Martinez. The nickname of the team “Manchester United” is the “Red Devils.” It is also displayed on the club’s logo.
A shot from the disseminated video collage
Sergio Agüero
In the photo, we see the former striker of “Manchester City” Sergio Aguero. This particular sign means “I love you” in sign language.
Julián Álvarez
“Manchester City” player Julián Alvarez, nicknamed Spider since childhood, is seen in the next photo. Here, Alvarez portrays the American comic book hero Spider-Man. According to the comics, with this movement of the fingers, Spider-Man uses one of his key abilities – to release the web.
Alejandro Garnacho
In this photo, the Spanish football player Garnacho embodies the sign of the “devil”, which means that he is continuing his career at “Manchester United”. It should be noted that the history of Manchester United’s nickname “Red Devils” is related to the English rugby club and has no occult or satanic basis.
Manchester United was nicknamed “Busby’s Boys” after Matt Busby took over the club. He brought in many young players, which is why the club got its name. After the Munich air disaster in 1958, which killed many players, they decided to change the name and chose “Red Devils”.
English rugby club Salford played many games in France in the 1930s in a red kit and were nicknamed the “Red Devils”. The club’s manager, Busby, liked the name and decided that Manchester United should also be known as the “Red Devils”.
Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané
“Liverpool” player Roberto Firmino and former player of the same club Sadio Mane are depicted in the next photo. Firmino was brought on as a substitute in this game against PSG because he collided with Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghe in the previous game and injured his eye. Daniel Sturridge played instead of him in the main lineup and Firmino entered as a substitute. After the game, Mane said: “I don’t think Bobby needs an eye to play, that’s what I told him.” Finally, both Firmino’s celebration and Sadio Mane’s gesture are related to the story that Firmino plays perfectly with one eye.
Lionel Messi
Argentinian football player Lionel Messi has an eye tattooed on his bicep. According to one opinion, it may be the shape of the eye of his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo.
A shot from the disseminated video collage The second photo of Messi, in which he is photographed with a goat, has the following explanation: Messi is often referred to as G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time), hence the picture is a reference to that.
Messi’s third photo was shot for the advertisement of Audemars Piguet watch – Royal Oak Collection. He probably has his hand over his eye to show the clock effectively.
Neymar Santos
The wax museum Madame Tussauds decided in 2016 to make a wax figure of Neymar. Neymar chose a pose that resembled the celebration of Brazil’s goal at the 2014 World Cup. This photo just shows how they choose an exact copy of the eye color and shape. Along with this, in this video, it can be seen that Neymar’s other parameters are also being tested.
In the next photo, Neymar advertises a Gagà Milano watch. This photo is also available on Neymar’s Facebook page. The post is a Paid Partnership. Therefore, the photo taken in this position serves to promote the watch.
Cristiano Ronaldo
This photo of Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo is one of many that he took to promote his fregnance.
John McGinn
Scotland’s John McGinn celebrates Aston Villa’s win against Fulham. The goal celebration was dedicated to his nephew, Jackie, who needs eye protection to play soccer.
About the Source
The anonymous Facebook account “Christians of the Last Advent” regularly spreads disinformation and conspiracy theories.
Giorgi Kharebava and Rati Tkemaladze
Myth Detector Lab
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