Mikel Merino Explains Heartwarming Reason Behind Corner Flag Goal Celebration

Mikel Merino has revealed that his trademark goal celebration is actually a tribute to his father. The Spanish midfielder joined Arsenal last summer and after a slow start, he’s found his feet in England and has settled in quite nicely at the Emirates. At first, he had his critics questioning whether he had what it took to succeed in the Premier League.

He found his form, though, and has even managed to score multiple goals for the Gunners now. Those who watch the club will have noticed that whenever he does hit the back of the net, he returns to the same goal celebration each and every time as well. After getting on the scoresheet, the Spaniard runs to the corner and runs around the corner flag. It’s an unusual celebration, but has become synonymous with him. Now, he’s explained why he does it.

Related

Arsenal’s 2024/25 Squad Ranked

From the indispensable Bukayo Saka to the out-of-sorts Kieran Tierney, Arsenal’s 2024/25 squad have been split up into five different categories.

Merino’s Celebration is a Tribute to his Dad

Some football fans may be unaware that Merino’s father was also a professional footballer. Angel Merino played for 17 years in Spain and represented a number of high-profile sides such as Leganes, Las Palmas and Osasuna. Whenever he scored, he would also run to the corner and run around the flag. According to the Arsenal star, who was quizzed about the celebration after a match against Brentford by Sky Sports, his dad would do it as a tribute for Mikel’s grandmother. Now, the younger Merino does it to pay tribute to his dad. Speaking to the media, he said:

Having done the celebration himself for years, Merino’s father must be very proud watching his son pay tribute to him and doing so on the grandest stages of football, such as the Premier League and the European Championship.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 02/01/2025