- Adebayor revealed if he regrets his infamous celebration for Manchester City
- It arrived in his first game against Arsenal after moving for £25m in 2009.
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Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has revealed whether or not he regrets his controversial Manchester City celebration against the Gunners.
The incident went down in Premier League history as one of the most unforgettable celebrations of all time.
The former striker ran across the pitch to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans after scoring during a league match in his first appearance against his former club.
Having joined Arsenal from French club Monaco in January 2006, the Togolese forward spent three years in north London before moving to Manchester in a deal worth around £25m.
After becoming popular with large sections of Arsenal's fan base, Adebayor quickly incurred their ire by making a change that many Gunners fans perceived as an act of betrayal at the time.
Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor gave an honest answer when asked about his infamous Manchester City celebration against the Gunners.
In an interview with Optus Sport, he said he 'will never regret that celebration'
As a result, in his first competitive match against Arsenal after joining the Citizens, Adebayor responded in earnest by scoring a powerful header in a match in which City took a 4-2 victory.
After scoring, Adebayor added to the misery of Arsenal fans inside the Etihad Stadium by running across the pitch and ending a celebration with a knee slide.
Now, he has given an honest answer when asked if he regrets celebrating that way.
In an interview with Optus Sport, he said he “will never regret that celebration.”
He added that the reason he did it was because Arsenal fans were “singing (a defamatory song), abusing my parents.”
Adebayor said he experienced a moment of “deliberation” when scoring against his former bosses and felt he had to “give something back.”
It comes after Adebayor expressed similar sentiments in an interview with Sky Sport in October 2023.
He said at the time: “I think the fans can forget what happened in 2009 when I ran the length of the field.”
The former striker ran across the pitch to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans after scoring during a Premier League match in September 2009 in his first appearance against his former club.
The striker, who had left Arsenal for City weeks earlier, infuriated traveling Gunners fans.
Adebayor was one of several signings Abu Dhabi-backed City made in the summer of 2009.
'Today I will make it clear that I do not believe that any human being would accept people singing and insulting your family, especially your mother and father.
'I would do anything for my mother and father.
'He's behind me now, I hope he's behind them. We all love football and every now and then when you see that celebration on TV and social media, hopefully now you can laugh and move on.
“That's what I wish Arsenal fans and I wish them the best of luck this year.”
