Lamine Yamal explains Thierry Henry goal celebration

Lamine Yamal used Spain’s Nations League victory over Croatia to pay tribute to Thierry Henry, explaining that the former France striker remains a major reference for him. The Barcelona forward recreated Henry’s familiar corner-flag celebration after scoring, turning the gesture into a deliberate acknowledgement of the player who influenced his approach to the game.

Yamal struck before two minutes had elapsed as Spain won 4-1 in Seville. Spain’s opening move involved 25 passes, and Croatia had not touched the ball before Yamal finished the attack. He then stood against the corner flag with one hand on his hip, recalling a celebration Henry used early in his career.

Yamal said he had watched many of Henry’s matches and admired his movement and the ease with which he handled difficult situations. He stressed that the gesture was not an attempt to imitate or compare himself with Henry, but a way to recognise a player whose football inspired him. He described Henry as a Premier League legend and one of the competition’s greatest players.

The pair have met several times at stadiums, on television programmes and at promotional events. They also exchanged shirts after Barcelona’s 4-3 Clasico win against Real Madrid at Montjuïc in March 2025, underlining the mutual respect behind Yamal’s celebration.