What does Kylian Mbappé's new goal celebration mean? | OneFootball

Ligue 1 Uber Eats fans will have noticed that Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappé has adopted a brand-new goal celebration at the World Cup in Qatar, striking a kneeling pose after scoring. But what does it mean? What is the media-savvy youngster trying to say? Read on...

With three goals thus far in France's 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar - one against Australia in their first match and the both goals in the 2-1 win over Denmark - Kylian Mbappé has had plenty of opportunities to show the world his new goal celebration. Complex

Gone is the old ritual of the cross-armed leap and instead, the Boy from Bondy takes a knee, bows his head, puts one hand behind his back and places his opposite thumb nya-nya style on his nose. Is he doing the tea-pot? Is he posing as France's sporting emblem, Le Coq Sportif? As Rodin's The Thinker?

A nod to his buddy?

While the Boy from Bondy has yet to publicly explain the story behind the celebration, most French sources have noted that it first appeared when Mbappé scored for Paris Saint-Germain against Lorient back in April of this year.

At the time, Mbappé and teammate Achraf Hakimi - with whom the France striker is close friends - pulled the pose together, suggesting that perhaps the celebration is Mbappé sending a message to the Morocco right-back, whose Belgium-beating side are on track for a place in the World Cup's round of 16.

Stay tuned...

In any case, there will in all likelihood be further opportunity for the prolific Mbappé to display - and be quizzed about, and possibly explain - his new celebration in Qatar. Watch this space!