When Torres scored the much-deserved winner in the final, I thought he appeared briefly to be doing some kind of nazi or fascist salute.

Interestingly, this part of his goal celebration was cut out of all the bbc replays...

Anybody got any ideas on this? And if he did - was it a dig at the Germans or some kind of nostalgic gesture to General Franco (who was in power when Spain last won...)

Of course, it could just be my eyesight...

No way. No how. He simply isn't that kind of person (though he may well be a bit simple).

And welcome, nauort. Have you moved house recently?

so what is the 'Flash Gordon' type salute he usually does with Liverpool (and Villa did with Spain earlier in the tournament)?

Though while Rafa can do a reasonable Ming the Merciless, Aragones is hopeless in that role.

thanks for the welcome - er no, I have not moved house recently. should I have done? :o)

(or is the question a v clever play on "nauort"?)

(welcome nauort)

Thats the ursus collective for you... they will find something from somewhere.

Isn't it on Youtube? I thought everything was..

I recorded the game (because I was out) and have just rewatched the goal celebration. He does raise his left arm but his finger is pointing as he does it (at whom I know not). He's also sucking his right thumb as he does this. He then slides across the grass on his knees with both fists clenched towards his chest before his team-mates jump on him. I reckon he's innocent.

Brilliant. Thanks.

I am not sure any self-respecting fascist would be seen sucking his thumb, so I guess you must be right - he´s innocent.

Thanks for clearing this up.

QUOTE:
When Torres scored, did he do a facist salute?

Well, no. Or a fascist one, come to that.

thanks ... I never could spell...

What's up with that sucking the thumb? Is it a sign of latent regressive infantile behavior or is does it have some other significance that I'm missing?

At least in Italy, it is associated with Totti, who started it when he and Ilary had their first child.

However, I think that Torres was doing an "ironic" take on his nickname of "El Nino/The Kid".

I remember thinking "He isn't, is he?" (regarding the nazi salute) but it soon became clear he wasn't. No more than David Bowie did at Victoria Station, in fact.

(Thanks again to Stumpy for that, on the old board. ...Which was spookily the third result -after two video links - that Google threw up when I typed in bowie station salute youtube as the search terms.)

ursus arctos wrote:

QUOTE:
At least in Italy, it is associated with Totti, who started it when he and Ilary had their first child.

However, I think that Torres was doing an "ironic" take on his nickname of "El Nino/The Kid".

What's Robinho's excuse, then?

Congenital c*ntishness?

Yeah, I thought it'd be that or something similar.