Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has criticised South Africa’s exuberant celebration after Teboho Mokoena converted a penalty to level scores against the Czech Republic.
Henry said the elaborate dance routine was excessive given that the goal merely restored parity and did not secure victory.
The former France international argued that the reaction suggested South Africa had already achieved something far greater, despite significant time still remaining in the contest.
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He said: “Maybe I’ll sound harsh, but I have to be honest. That celebration was difficult for me to understand. It’s a penalty to make it 1-1, not a winning goal in a World Cup final. You would think they had just won the tournament. Come on, guys.
“I understand the emotion, I understand what the goal means, and I understand the pressure they were under. But there has to be some perspective. The job wasn’t finished. There was still a lot of football left to play.
“Personally, I prefer when players celebrate like they know there’s more work to do. Get the ball, get back to the centre circle, and go try to win the game.
That mentality is what separates good teams from great teams. South Africa showed character to come back, and they deserve credit for that. But if I’m in that team, I’m telling everyone to calm down and focus on getting the second goal. Because one point is nice, but three points change everything.”
