Ronaldo has celebrated various styles of celebration throughout his career, but now the most sticking thing is the screams of “siiiu” accompanied by fan fanfare.
Goal celebrations in football take many forms and most players have their own expressions.
Jurgen Klinsmann is famous for his ‘dive’ style after scoring a goal, while Paul Pogba has a number of different dance routines.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, so he’s had plenty of opportunities to celebrate, and he’s opted for a few moves, but the most famous one is the “siiiu”.
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If you’re wondering what that means, Goal try to describe the Ronaldo celebration. Listen!
- What does Cristiano Ronaldo’s “shiiu” celebration mean?
- How to Celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo’s “siiiu”
What does Cristiano Ronaldo’s “shiiu” celebration mean?
Ronaldo’s goal celebration saw him twirl through the air before exclaiming “si!” – which is Spanish for “yes!” – on landing. This is an expression of his joy when he scores a goal.
After Ronaldo jumps and lands, the fans usually join the striker in chanting the word, resulting in a thunderous sound that reverberates throughout the stadium.
The “siiiu” celebration has become synonymous with Ronaldo in the latter part of his career and he first started doing it while still at Real Madrid.
He first shouted “siiiu!” on stage at the 2014 Ballon d’Or ceremony after winning the award, surpassing Lionel Messi, and then sparking mixed reactions as many were confused by his outburst.
The FIFA translator was clearly taken aback by this and some of the guests, such as Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, were seen laughing.
“That scream? The players know I always do that scream when I score or when we win,” Ronaldo told Spanish TV station Four afterward.
“This is our shout, from Real Madrid.”
If Ronaldo then said that it was a shout of celebration for the Madrid team, that was clearly his trademark and he continued to use it when he moved to Juventus.
Given Ronaldo’s popularity as a player, it’s not surprising that supporters often imitate this celebration. Interestingly, his professional colleagues also copy the style.
In 2019, Serbia international Mark Grujic celebrated ‘siiiu’ after scoring a goal against Schalke while on loan at Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin.
“It was pure emotion. I couldn’t control it, it just happened,” Grujic told Bild. “I admire Ronaldo. He is a great role model for me because he works obsessively on his development.”
Later that year, the K-League All-Star team player did so during the match against Juventus, which elicited a wry smile from the Portugal star, who was sitting on the bench.
How to Celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo’s “siiiu”
To perform Ronaldo’s famous “siiiu” celebration, you have to run, jump, spin through the air, then throw your hands to the side as you land.
The position of the feet when landing is also very important – feet should be spread wide to show ‘power’ – and ideally you have your back to the crowd, so that the name on the back of your jersey is displayed.
After the round is complete, the last thing to do is shout “siiiu!”.