Pulling off Jersey to Celebrate Goals

The game of football is one of the most organized game in the world, it preaches discipline, self-control, respect for the game and your opponent and modesty in reaction both to good and bad occurrences. The fair play aspect cannot be shoved aside since that enhances friendliness most especially on the field of play. Its anti racism stance has also helped to earn equality of humans and went further to stress that irrespective of color or creed, we are equal before God and that no one race is superior to the other on the planet earth.
Kudos must be given to the world governing body of the beautiful game of football FIFA for their high level of management and for turning the game of football from a mere recreational sport to a full professional sport that has turned so many young players from hitherto poverty stricken regions of the world from state of hopelessness to a state of affluence.
The game has so grown that even the powers that be in the world are putting everything into it to be able to make a sporting statement in the world.


The issue of celebration of goals by pulling off of jersey by players has constantly earned players unnecessary caution or yellow cards which could jeopardize their chances of continuing in the present game or make them miss some crucial future matches. Does this mean that the players themselves are not aware of the rule of this aspect of the game or that the various managements of the teams overlook this aspect? I imagine a situation where the fortune of a team takes a negative dive because their star player who have just scored a beautiful goal, got sent off for a second yellow card, the second card coming from the act of removing his jersey to celebrate the much awaited goal.

It is so painful that professional players still fall foul of this simple rule of the game. I would like to quote from the FIFA rules on this aspect of the game, with the hope that it would help reduce the continued occurrence of this avoidable foul in the beautiful game of football.

Celebration of a Goal

While it is permissible for a player to demonstrate his joy when a goal has been scored, the celebration must not be excessive.

FIFA recognized in Circular No. 579 that such reasonable celebrations are allowed. The practice of choreographed celebration is not to be encouraged when it results in excessive time wasting and referees are instructed to intervene in such cases.

A player must be cautioned when;

- In the opinion of the referee, he makes gestures which are provocative, derisory or inflammatory.
- He climbs on to a perimeter fence to celebrate goal being scored.
- Removes his jersey in celebrating a goal.
- Leaving the field to celebrate a goal is not a cautionable offence in itself but it is essential that players return to the field as soon as possible.
- Referees are expected to act in a preventative mode and to exercise common sense in dealing with the celebration of goals.

Celebration of goals is the main fun of the game and that is the one of the main excitement fans get to see when they go to the stadium to watch football matches. It should not be allowed to kill the joy of the entire team just because someone got so excited and loses touch with the rule of the game.