Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott has elucidated the rationale behind Erling Haaland’s adoption of Chelsea legend Didier Drogba’s goal celebration.
In Tuesday evening’s Champions League victory over Young Boys, Haaland replicated Drogba’s iconic celebration. The Norwegian international scored twice, securing Manchester City’s spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
However, it was his celebration that truly captured attention. Lescott revealed that Haaland recreated Drogba’s celebration as a personal tribute to the Ivorian legend, who had requested this gesture during a meeting in Paris. Drogba asked Haaland to honor him with a throwback celebration the next time he scored for Manchester City.
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Notably, Drogba had recently participated in the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony, where Haaland was recognized as the second-best men’s player in the world, following Lionel Messi.
Lescott explained Haaland’s homage, stating, “At the Ballon d’Or ceremony, Drogba and Gary Lineker inquired about his allegiances and whether he could dedicate a celebration the next time he scored. There, he dedicated that moment to Didier, which holds significant meaning for him.”
Didier Drogba is widely acclaimed as one of the premier strikers to have graced the Premier League, amassing a total of 164 goals across all competitions during his two stints at Chelsea. His renowned celebration entailed sprinting towards the corner flag while gesturing both hands towards the ground.