Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka reveals meaning behind odd ‘bird-flap’ goal celebration | OneFootball

Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka has clarified his strange goal celebration in Saturday afternoon’s Bundesliga victory over Werder Bremen. Goretzka effectively put the game to bed with the decisive 0-3 in the away win. Interestingly enough, Goretzka’s flapping wing gesture related to his golfing hobby and one of his best friends on the team.  

Leon Goretzka salutes his ‘Golf Partner’

Goretzka featured in Vincent Kompany’s starting XI in his 315th Bundesliga appearance. FCB substitutes Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies played important roles in setting up Goretzka’s 51st Bundesliga goal. The German national team midfielder nevertheless wished to pay homage to right back Josip Stanisic, who was one of the players making way for Musiala and Davies on a 69th-minute double substitution. 

“That’s the ‘Birdie dance’ I’m performing,” Goretzka told Sky Germany afterwards. “We [Stanisic and I] said beforehand that if one of us scored today, we’d dance together. Unfortunately, he was already off the pitch, but he danced along with us here on the bench.”

Goretzka hopeful of ending Bayern Munich career on a high note

With his departure after the season confirmed, the 31-year-old Goretzka still has seasons left in his career. The Bochum native nevertheless hopes to add plenty of trophies to his collection before he leaves the German record champions. Like everyone else playing with the German giants over the past decade plus, Goretzka has collected a major trophy in every last year besides the infamous 2023/24 campaign. 

“This season, we feel that anything is possible,” Goretzka said. “I’m lucky to have been there when we won six titles in one season [under Hansi Flick between July 2020 and February 2021]. I know what that was like and remember well that we said we wanted to do it again with the fans. We’ll do everything we can to celebrate the big titles together with the fans again.”

GGFN | Peter Weis