Fulham defender Calvin Bassey has hinted at the meaning behind the goal celebration dance he shared with Ademola Lookman, which has intrigued the Nigerian football community, Soccernet.ng reports.
The “innit” boys, a nickname for Nigerian players based in the UK, were in action for the Super Eagles at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium against Benin Republic yesterday.
In their 3-0 victory over the Cheetahs of Benin, Lookman scored a brace, strengthening his bid for the 2024 African Footballer of the Year award.
While his goals were remarkable, the focus was also on the distinctive dance he performed with the former Ajax defender, Bassey, who celebrated both of Lookman’s goals with the same dance move.
Ademola Lookman won the Man of the Match Award against Benin Republic
See his brilliant opener against Benin Republic! pic.twitter.com/zMKAD91Zb1
— Sopirinye Jaja (@Sopirinye) September 7, 2024
After the game, the Fulham center back shared a photo on social media of himself dancing with the Atalanta forward, captioning it, “Skating is a lifestyle.”
Lookman responded in the comments with, “Brother you know why,” suggesting a cultural significance to their celebratory dance.
The “Skating” dance appears to be a trend among UK-born players, which reflects a cultural element popular in foreign countries entirely different from the normal Nigerian setting.
The Super Eagles are set to face Rwanda on Tuesday, and both Lookman and Bassey will be eager to make an impact for the 2013 AFCON champions in Kigali.