What does Mo Salah’s celebration mean?
MO Salah’s goal celebrations are more than just moments of joy; they are expressions of his personality, cultural roots, and deep connection to the game.
From a peaceful yoga pose to a solemn outstretched stance, each gesture carries its own story, revealing the layers behind Liverpool‘s star forward.
What does Mo Salah’s celebration mean?
Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring some of his goals by posing on one leg with his hands together in a yoga pose called Vrikshasana, or tree pose.
The word Vrikhasana is derived from the Sanskrit terms Vriksha, meaning tree, and Asana, which means posture.
The pose reportedly helps to strengthen leg muscles, tendons and ligaments, as well as helping to relieve problems such as stress and depression.
Some people on Twitter, which is now called X, suggested he was sending a message of peace to Chelsea fans after a vile video emerged of fans singing ‘Salah is a bomber’ in April 2019.
But yoga teacher Emma Stubbs explained: “Tree pose is about balance, so he could have been showing off how good his balance is.
“However, it is also about grounding, about someone sending their roots into the earth and making a connection.
“So that means Mo Salah was showing his commitment to Anfield and Liverpool by standing in a tree pose and connecting to the place and the club.”
She added: “In the tree pose, you normally extend your hands over your head, Mo Salah had his hands in front of his heart centre on his chest.
“Doing that is a way of showing honour to yourself and to the other people close to you, of recognising your soul.
“So when you put the two together, he was honouring his team mates and the Liverpool fans while showing his connection and belonging at Anfield.
“If that’s what he was going for then he hit the nail on the head in his celebration.”
When does Mo Salah perform his celebration?
Mo unveiled his goal-scoring celebration after putting away a stunning goal against Chelsea at Anfield on April 14, 2019 — a contender for goal of the season.
He struck a wonderful finish, with his shot heading into the corner like an arrow, sealing a 2-0 victory for the Reds.
Virgil Van Dijk delivered a long ball to Mo, who took a couple of touches to get away from Emerson before dispatching his unbelievable effort, giving Kepa no chance of stopping the wonder goal.
Mo sometimes does his tree pose celebration after scoring a goal.
He brought it back in Liverpool’s 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United in April, 2022 — during which he scored two goals.
What has Mo Salah said about his celebration?
After the match against Chelsea when he first performed his celebration, Mo gave a brief explanation of why he did it.
He told Sky Sports: “I am a yoga man!
“I do yoga and it just came into my mind.”
How else does Mo Salah celebrate goals?
Mo Salah has a variety of goal celebrations that reflect both his personal style and cultural background.
During the 2019 Champions League final against Tottenham, Mo performed a unique celebration where he crossed his index fingers into an ‘X’, held them to his nose while sticking out his tongue.
Although Salah hasn’t explained this move, it seemed to be a playful gesture, possibly directed at the opposition’s fans.
One of his most iconic celebrations involves him standing with his arms stretched out wide, his face often neutral or solemn.
This pose could be reminiscent of Maximus from Gladiator or a nod to the song Liverpool fans sing about him, depicting him as an ‘Egyptian King’.
A consistent part of Mo’s celebrations is performing a prayer of thanks, known as sujud.
He kneels and places his head on the ground, a gesture of gratitude and devotion, reflecting his deep religious faith.
Mo isn’t the only Liverpool player with a distinctive goal celebration.
Darwin Nunez celebrates by paying tribute to his partner and their child.