Fermin Lopez drew widespread attention after celebrating his goal for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid in the style of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese forward and Real Madrid legend.
Lopez scored twice as Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in La Liga on Sunday, with his double securing victory for the Catalan side.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, the Barcelona midfielder copied one of Ronaldo’s best-known celebrations after scoring his first goal. The gesture attracted particular attention because Ronaldo is regarded as a club icon by Barcelona’s traditional rivals, Real Madrid.
“Fermin is a fan of the Don,” AS reported.
The newspaper said Lopez marked the goal with Ronaldo’s familiar “I’m here” celebration. It added that this was not the first occasion on which the Barcelona player had imitated the Portugal international’s celebrations.
Lopez also wears the number seven shirt, like Ronaldo. Many social media users believed he was about to complete the full routine by jumping high and shouting “SIII”, but he stopped short, apparently because he feared provoking the Atletico Madrid supporters.
Previous Ronaldo-style celebration
Lopez had already performed Ronaldo’s famous celebration in April 2022, when he was a Barcelona youth player.
On that occasion, he scored an outstanding bicycle kick before running, leaping into the air, spreading his arms and shouting “SIII” at the top of his voice.
Barcelona published the young player’s spectacular goal on its official social media accounts, but edited the footage to remove the celebration. The match had been broadcast live on the club’s television channel, however, and the celebration was widely shared on social media.
Lopez’s latest gesture comes after a number of players recently celebrated in Ronaldo’s style following the announcement that the Portuguese great had retired from international football.
Barcelona’s win over Atletico Madrid came in La Liga on 22 November 2026. The article also lists Barcelona’s next league fixture against Villarreal, alongside a La Liga meeting between Getafe and Atletico Madrid, on 22 November 2026.
