‘Make your own name’ – Garnacho criticised for ‘celebrating like Cristiano’ after ‘great’ overhead kick

Jason Soutar
Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho celebrates his goal like Cristiano Ronaldo.
Alejandro Garnacho celebrates his goal like Cristiano Ronaldo.

Arturo Vidal has criticised Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho for his celebration after scoring a wonderful bicycle kick against Everton.

Garnacho silenced Goodison Park a few minutes into the Red Devils’ 3-0 win with an outstanding strike that will likely finish as Premier League goal of the season.

The Argentine has been heavily praised since his side’s victory on Sunday, with former Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea striker Chris Sutton claiming the goal is the greatest overhead kick of all time.

“We’ve now witnessed the game’s greatest overhead kick,” Sutton claimed. “It cannot be beaten in terms of technique or execution.

“This isn’t something you work on in training. It’s a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

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The first person to criticise Garnacho is former Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona midfielder Vidal, who questioned why the United winger celebrated his goal like Cristiano Ronaldo.

Garnacho is on the record saying Ronaldo is his football idol – despite being international teammates with Lionel Messi – and did the Portuguese’ iconic ‘Siu’ celebration after scoring past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

Speaking on Twitch, Vidal urged Garnacho to become his own player instead of imitating others.

He said: “The only bad thing or what I didn’t understand is why he celebrates like Cristiano?

“He has to make his own name. He is an already great player. It’s good that he is his idol, respect for that, but then he has to make his name.

“How are you going to celebrate a goal and remember it? I don’t know, celebrate it another way. But it was a great goal, it was a great goal.”

In September, Vidal stood up for Ronaldo when discussing his Manchester United exit last year, claiming that Erik ten Hag is a ‘complicated bald man’.

“That coach came in badly,” the Chilean said. “How are you going to take out Cristiano Ronaldo?

“That’s how these guys are. He was the top scorer and he takes him out. These bald guys are very complicated.”

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