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Copying Lionel Messi's World Cup celebration, Mauro Icardi cupped his hands behind his ears after skillfully executing a Panenka penalty for Galatasaray. His impressive effort came in their Tuesday night Champions League loss against Bayern Munich.
Just weeks after his poorly taken penalty against Manchester United, the Argentine sharpshooter was back in the spotlight, where he made amends from the spot. The controversial penalty was awarded when Icardi was taken down in the box by Joshua Kimmich, who was attempting to intercept a low cross.
Galatasaray chose Icardi as their designated marksman for the penalty, despite his recent miss against the Red Devils. Taking his position 12 yards from Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, Icardi audaciously chipped the ball down the middle, leaving Ulreich lunging in vain to the right.
Icardi's remarkable finish wasn't the only talking point. The Argentine striker paid homage to his compatriot, Lionel Messi, with a carbon-copy celebration - hands cupped behind his ears. Notably, the legendary playmaker faced the Netherlands bench with the celebration during the World Cup.
Social media erupted with reactions to the 30-year-old's celebration, with one fan notably commenting:
"Left PSG and became good again"
A parade of other responses followed, with posts like these:
Lionel Messi's Man-of-the-Match statistic revealed as Argentine legend prepares to win 8th Ballon d'Or
According to SPORT, Lionel Messi has been revealed as the winner of the 2023 Ballon d'Or, setting him up to potentially grasp an unprecedented eighth award. Ahead of the ceremony on October 30, a staggering new statistic has illuminated the Argentine maestro's inspiring career.
Recent data, compiled by WhoScored and based on Opta statistics (via Mirror), has added further credibility to his extensive award cabinet. Since the 2009-10 season, the iconic winger has been named man of the match an astonishing 345 times. This extends across his tenure with both club and country, during which he has been vital in countless title triumphs.
This stat means that Messi has been considered the best player on the pitch in a whopping 51.3 percent of his 673 games played from then till now.
His pinnacle achievement may be hoisting the World Cup trophy in Qatar, but Lionel Messi's ability as the best player on the field is certainly remarkable. Boasting an astonishing 819 goals and 44 trophies, he has already solidified his place as the most decorated footballer in history.
Another Ballon d'Or accolade seems almost inevitable, particularly after recent reports by SPORT suggested the winners' list has been leaked. However, players like Erling Haaland, who helped Manchester City win the continental treble, could secure the award ahead of Lionel Messi.
