Revealed: the anime secret behind Barcelona youngster’s celebration against Vissel Kobe | OneFootball

Roony Bardghji was one of the standout performers for Barcelona as they secured a comfortable 3-1 victory over Vissel Kobe, in what was the team’s friendly of the pre-season.

After a relatively quiet first half, it was Bardghji who stepped up to the plate and scored a crucial goal in the second half to turn the tide back in Barça’s favour.

The young Swede, who had already emerged as one of the standout players in training since joining Barcelona earlier this month, produced a brilliant curled finish to find the back of the net.

What stood out even more, however, was the way Roony Bardghji celebrated his goal against Vissel Kobe.

The story behind Bardghji’s celebration

Bardghji bent down and raised his clenched fist to the ground in what seemed like an unusual but meaningful gesture. S

As reported by Mundo Deportivo, social media users were quick to recognise the celebration as a nod to One Piece, a wildly popular Japanese anime series.

Roony Bardghji loves anime (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)

The pose was identical to the one often struck by the show’s main character, Luffy. It turns out Roony is a huge fan of the anime, and with the team currently in Japan, the moment felt right for him to pay tribute to his favourite show.

It was a personal yet culturally fitting way to mark his first-ever goal in a Barça shirt – in Japan, no less.

The goal and the celebration capped off a highly promising debut for the youngster, who also received praise from teammates and coaching staff alike.

If this performance is any indication, Bardghji might just be one of the breakout stars of Barcelona’s pre-season tour.