Antony explains meaning behind goal celebration

Antony enjoyed a Manchester United debut to remember at the weekend as he scored his first goal for the club in a 3-1 Premier League victory over Arsenal.

The €100m winger slotted past Aaron Ramsdale and wheeled away to celebrate with his teammates, but as they retreated back to their own half, Antony sought out a nearby camera to pull out what most saw as a roaring lion pose.

Speaking to MUTV, Antony refused to reveal the full meaning behind his pose but did explain why he opted to pull it out.

“It’s a friends thing,” he said. “So when I score a goal, my friends know what it is, it’s a tiger. They know and that’s how I celebrate.”

Interestingly, this wasn’t the celebration that most long-time observers of Antony were expecting.

During his time at Sao Paulo and Ajax, Antony’s celebration was always holding up the letter L with his fingers, as both a tribute to his son Lorenzo and a Brazilian girl named Larissa, a cancer survivor whom Antony met during his time in his homeland.

Antony, who shaved his head after he first met Larissa in 2019 as a mark of solidarity, has remained in contact with the youngster ever since, flying her out to Amsterdam in the past and describing her as a source of inspiration.

“She means a lot to me”, Antony told Trouw earlier this year. “I will carry her in my heart forever.

“We still have a lot of contact. Before every match, she sends a message to wish me luck. Larissa is a great source of inspiration for me. Although she has been through a lot, she remains strong. Fortunately, she is doing well now.”