Jorginho Reveals Arsenal Teases Gabriel About His ‘Batman’ Celebration, But Admires His Impressive Goal Record

FEW central defenders in global football feel the necessity to have a signature goal celebration.

However, not many possess the aerial prowess of Arsenal’s Gabriel.

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The Brazilian center-back’s 10th-minute header opening the scoring against West Ham at the London Stadium marked his third in the Premier League this season – and fourth in all competitions.

This brings his total headed goals to 12 in the league since his arrival in England in September 2020 – just five shy of Virgil van Dijk and Sami Hyppia on the all-time Premier League headed goals leaderboard.

While he still trails John Terry by 15 goals, it would be unwise to bet against Gabriel closing in on – or potentially surpassing – that number by the end of the current season, especially as the 26-year-old extends his time in North London.

His recent goal – a flicked header from a Bukayo Saka corner during a commanding 5-2 victory over a struggling Hammers team – was celebrated with a distinctive gesture, linking his fingers over his eyes.

This celebration first emerged in this campaign during the 5-1 Champions League triumph in Lisbon, leading some to speculate it was a playful jab at Viktor Gyokeres’ similar goal celebration, where the Swede covers his mouth instead.

However, a repeat in East London may put those theories to rest.

Gabriel’s gesture is suggested to pay homage to comic book icon Batman – a notion supported by Arsenal’s social media channels, which shared a superhero emoji shortly after his goal.

Fans can expect to see that celebration much more frequently in the coming weeks, particularly as Arsenal’s set-piece effectiveness has returned following a recent four-match winless stretch, reigniting their title challenge.

Nonetheless, Gabriel’s teammates continue to joke about it. Jorginho admitted: “We tease him about [the celebration], and he enjoys it too. It’s fantastic how much fun we’re having.”

Following five different goal scorers in Lisbon, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal replicated that success against West Ham, with Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, and Saka also finding the net in the first half.

Aaron Wan Bissaka and Emerson managed to score to momentarily bring it to 4-2, but the visitors’ comeback was short-lived.

Yet it was Gabriel’s name that shone brightest, with him being the last player to depart the pitch Saturday night, relishing the admiration from the away fans as he orchestrated the chants.

His goal stemmed from a slightly adjusted NFL-inspired tactic devised by set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, allowing Gabriel to roam freely at the back post while the others acted as screeners.

It’s perplexing how West Ham permitted Arsenal’s primary threat an unchallenged header. It’s hardly a covert operation where the ball is aimed – the corner-takers even signal towards Gabriel before delivering.

When asked how to neutralize Gabriel, Jorginho chuckled: “I’m not spilling any secrets! He’s exceptionally skilled. It takes concerted effort from the entire team. Everyone has to do their part, and then he becomes a genuine threat.

“He’s been incredibly beneficial to us.”

Arteta commented: “The more [Gabriel scores], the more confidence builds. You can instantly see from his body language and communication that he’s poised to score.

“Having multiple goal-scoring methods makes our team more unpredictable, forcing opponents to prepare for various scenarios. It’s advantageous for us.”

Some concerns linger regarding Gabriel’s fitness ahead of the upcoming Premier League clash with Manchester United at the Emirates, as he was substituted at halftime for precautionary reasons due to an existing muscular issue sustained in Lisbon.

Nonetheless, Arsenal heads into the festive season looking formidable, having clinched three consecutive victories across all competitions and netting 13 goals in that span, including a 3-0 home win against Nottingham Forest.

Arteta’s squad also benefits from not traveling outside London for any matches until January 4.

Jorginho noted: “We’re presently in a strong momentum. We must maintain focus and keep pushing forward.

“As we welcome players back from injury and have the full squad available, it has made a significant impact. We’ve rectified what wasn’t functioning, and now it appears to be working well.”