For Messi, mere showing up is like showering happiness

‘Bring it on’ is the attitude of the global football's mega stars, especially in an era of social media frenzy.

- N Ananthanarayanan

On Monday night, after providing relief to a struggling Real Madrid with an early goal against Alaves in the La Liga, Kylian Mbappe ran up to the corner flag ~more to the camera focused on him. He first put up his warrior pose, signifying brotherhood.

He went away only to rush back to do the weeping imitation ~ a message to those criticising his Paris St Germain departure.

For the tag of drama king - and marketing royalty —Cristiano Ronaldo at 40 is still the man. The ‘Siu’ twist-in-the-air goal celebration of the Portuguese is imitated by many strikers across the globe. Then there is the yoga pose of Erling Haaland, anda jump and pump-the-hands celebration for Harry Kane. For Messi though, it doesn’t go beyond jumping on to a teammate or pointing to the skies, that is if the strike is of that significance.