The €100 million man was unfortunate not to celebrate his debut goal by forming an L with his fingers as a sign of respect.
Antony enjoyed his Manchester United debut when he scored the club’s first goal in a 3-1 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford last weekend.
The €100 million winger managed to place the ball into the corner of Aaron Ramsdale’s goal before celebrating his team-mates. However, when they returned to their own half of the playing area, Antony looked for a nearby camera to demonstrate the pose of a roaring lion.
Talk to IN TV, Antony refused to reveal the full meaning behind the pose. However, he explained why he chose the celebration.
“It relates to my friend,” said Antony.
“So when I score, my friends know it’s a tiger. They know and that’s how I celebrate it,” he added.
Antony’s L celebration partly goes out to Larissa, a young Sao Paulo fan who suffers from leukemia. In the past he shaved his head for her.
“Try to imagine.. a little girl suffering from cancer. When I hug her, I feel so much positive spirit. She is inspiration for me.” pic.twitter.com/AFtAnVg2x9
— ???????????????? ???? (@TheEuropeanLad) October 24, 2021
Interestingly, this is not the celebration that most longtime Antony fans expect.
During his time for Sao Paulo and Ajax, Antony always raised his hand to form the letter L with his fingers when celebrating goals. It was done as a tribute to his son Lorenzo and Brazilian cancer survivor Larissa.
Antony, who shaved his head as a sign of solidarity after meeting Larissa for the first time in 2019, still communicates with the young man. He even flew it to Amsterdam and described it as a source of inspiration.
“He means a lot to me,” Antony told Dutch media, Fidelityearlier this year.
“I will carry it in my heart forever,” said the 22-year-old.
“We keep in touch. Every time before the game, he always sends a message. Larissa is a great source of inspiration for me. Even though he has been through a lot, he is still strong. Thankfully, he is fine now, he concluded.
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