In the world of football, goal celebrations go beyond expressing joy, they carry special messages and sometimes reflect a personal or cultural connection to the player. This season, Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi caught the eye after celebrating in a similar way.
Although the Pharaoh and the Flea chose to imitate the archery movement, the motives of each were completely different.
Salah, who is shining remarkably with Liverpool at the moment, surprised everyone with this celebration when he scored most of his goals in the current season of the English Premier League.
While many followers tried to explain the celebration, opinions were divided about its reasons. Some considered it a tribute to the Egyptian Olympic champion Ahmed El Gendy, who won a gold medal in the modern pentathlon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a sport that includes shooting competitions.
This interpretation seemed logical, especially with Salah’s keenness to interact with Egyptian achievements on the global sports scene in recent years.
Others went to another symbolic dimension, pointing to the association of this movement with the Zamalek club logo, which includes a bow and arrow, which sparked controversy among fans in Egypt about the affiliation of Liverpool’s top scorer. Some also believed that the player was imitating the ancient pharaohs in some old drawings.
However, in a later statement, Salah ended all speculation after he said that he was inspired by this celebration from a martial arts champion, who used the movement in one of his fights. He expressed his admiration for it as a way to express strength.
A tribute to the Marvel universe
On the other hand, Messi chose to imitate the same gesture during his celebration of one of his three goals (hat-trick) in his team Inter Miami’s 6-2 victory over New England Revolution in the American League last October, but the Argentine intended something else.
Messi, who is known for his passion for the world of fantasy films, wanted through this celebration to express his admiration for the character Hawkeye, one of the heroes of the “Avengers” team from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Hawkeye” is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics world and a member of the “Avengers” team, and is known for his exceptional shooting skills, and his ability to shoot with extreme precision using a bow and arrows, as he can hit the target with extreme accuracy from long distances.
For Messi, celebrating in this way was not just a passing gesture, but an expression of his admiration for a character he has been following for years, and perhaps a reference to his ability to score goals with the same accuracy and skill.
This was not the first time that Messi imitated a superhero, as he has done so more than once since joining Inter Miami.
Last October, Hard Rock International announced the launch of a superhero character for the Argentine star, under the name “Captain Messi”, where the player works as a brand ambassador for the company.
Messi said in his speech during the ceremony announcing his partnership with Hard Rock, “My children and I love watching superhero movies together, so it was very special to launch the character (Captain Messi), I hope this helps inspire young fans and families to work hard and believe in themselves to achieve great things.”
Benefits of practicing archery Archery
is ideal for improving physical and mental health, as it has many benefits, the most prominent of which are as follows:
Enhancing focus and accuracy: Archery requires a high level of focus to improve target hitting, which enhances the ability to pay attention and mental control.
Strengthening muscles: It contributes to strengthening the muscles of the arms, shoulders, and back as a result of the constant pulling of the bow.
Improving balance and coordination: It requires body stability and precise movement control, which develops balance and eye-hand coordination.
Stress relief: It can be a calming sport, as it focuses on relaxation and meditation during training.
Encouraging patience and discipline: You need patience to develop skills and learn how to control breathing and movement.
Increased self-confidence: Successfully hitting targets enhances self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
The bow and arrow set includes one bow, 6 arrows, 5 target papers, 4 target nails, 1 arm guard, 1 arrow quiver, 1 arrow rest, noting that the recommended age for the user is 10 years or older.
This set comes with an easy-to-assemble design, and the fiberglass arrows provide durability. The reinforced handle can be used in both the left and right hands, and is comfortable to the touch and easy to use.
