Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger paid tribute to Nigerian striker Victor Boniface with his goal celebration in Germany's recent match against Mexico.
Boniface, who plays for Belgian club Royal Union Saint-Gilloise, had gone viral earlier this year for his unique celebration, which involves him pretending to be a bird flying away.
Rüdiger scored Germany's second goal in their 2-1 victory over Mexico, and he immediately launched into Boniface's celebration, much to the amusement of fans and commentators alike.
After the match, Rüdiger explained that he had seen Boniface's celebration online and thought it was "very funny." He also said that he had been in touch with Boniface on social media and that the Nigerian striker had given him his blessing to do the celebration.
Boniface himself was delighted to see Rüdiger replicate his celebration, calling it a "big honor." He also joked that he was now expecting Rüdiger to score more goals and do the celebration more often.
Rüdiger's celebration was a light-hearted moment in a match that was otherwise quite tense. It was also a welcome reminder of the camaraderie and sportsmanship that exists between players from different countries.
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