Enzo arrives in New York, keeps 'Topo Gigio' alive

2 hour(s) ago

UPDATED 2 hour(s) ago

FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

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PHOTO: REUTERS/FACEBOOK

Enzo Fernandez's celebration has become almost as talked about as his performances at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Before boarding Argentina's flight from Kansas City to New York on Friday, the Chelsea midfielder once again cupped his hands behind his ears in the famous "Topo Gigio" celebration--the same gesture he produced after scoring against England in the World Cup semifinal.

Although thunderstorms delayed Argentina's arrival in New York until around midnight, Fernandez's symbolic celebration quickly caught the attention of fans ahead of Monday's FIFA World Cup 2026 final against Spain at the MetLife Stadium on Monday [1am, Bangladesh Time].

The "Topo Gigio" gesture has deep roots in Argentine football. It takes its name from Topo Gigio, a puppet mouse created in 1958 by Italian artist Maria Perego. While the character became a beloved children's television icon across Latin America during the 1980s and 1990s, its signature pose eventually evolved into one of football's most recognisable celebrations.

The gesture entered football folklore on April 8, 2001, when Boca Juniors legend Juan Román Riquelme celebrated a goal against River Plate by placing his hands behind his ears in front of then-club president Mauricio Macri's box. At the time, Riquelme was embroiled in a contract dispute with the club's management, and the celebration was widely interpreted as a message of defiance, despite his later insistence that it had been dedicated to his daughter.

Over the years, the celebration has been adopted by several Argentine stars. Lionel Messi famously used it after Argentina's dramatic World Cup quarter-final victory over the Netherlands in Qatar in 2022, with the gesture widely seen as a response to then-Dutch coach Louis van Gaal.

Fernandez gave the celebration his own meaning in the semi-final against England. After finding the net, he repeated the "Topo Gigio" gesture amid the charged atmosphere surrounding one of international football's fiercest rivalries, adding another memorable chapter to the celebration's rich history.

Before leaving Kansas City, Argentina held a light training session as Lionel Scaloni's side completed their final preparations for the trip to New York.