Beyond the keeper: when Kiko celebrated with all his heart | OneFootball

In the memory of Atlético fans, there are unforgettable images: historic goals, magical nights, and celebrations that became eternal symbols. Among them, one holds a special place: the so-called “archer” of Kiko Narváez. The striker from Cádiz, one of the great idols of Atlético de Madrid in the 90s, would score and raise his arms in a gesture that the fans interpreted as an archer drawing his bow to shoot arrows. What few know is that, according to Kiko himself, that was not his intention. But a legend was born, KIKOGOL was born. And for that reason, from AtleticoSport.es and in collaboration with Coolcrab, we are giving away a shirt featuring his historic celebration.

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Arriving at Atleti in 1993, Kiko soon became a reference for his technical elegance, his ability to link up play and, above all, his connection with the Vicente Calderón. He was a key piece in the unforgettable double win of 1996, forming part of a team that marked an entire generation. And it was also then that the celebration the fans dubbed the archer’s began to be repeated.

Over time, the myth grew. The image of Kiko shooting arrows became part of the red-and-white popular culture and many children in schoolyards imitated his way of celebrating. But years later, the protagonist himself clarified the story. “I wasn’t doing the archer,” he explained in an interview. “I held my arms like that because I was pointing to the stands and enjoying the goal with them.” For KIKOGOL, more than a pose, it was a gesture of communion with his people, a way to point to the fans and share the thrill of the goal with them. A way of uniting, which Coolcrab and AtleticoSport want to bring closer to the Atlético faithful.

Despite that revelation, the legacy of the “archer” did not disappear—on the contrary. Players who grew up watching him, like Fernando Torres, reproduced the gesture as a tribute. Torres used it in his early years as a rojiblanco and every time he did, the fans remembered their master. Decades later, Álvaro Morata also brought back the celebration in European matches, moving Kiko himself, who confessed with humor and pride that it “turned him on” to see how his gesture lived on.

Today, the celebration of KIKOGOL remains part of Atlético’s DNA. Even if it wasn’t born as an archer shooting arrows, it symbolizes something deeper: the union between player and fans, the shared passion, and the pride of belonging to an indomitable family. Because at Atleti, myths don’t need explanations; you just have to feel them. And Kiko, with every goal and every gesture, did it like few others: from red-and-white heart to red-and-white heart.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.