Gary Neville kissed his teammate Paul Scholes on the mouth after the goal that gave Manchester United victory over Manchester City in April 2010. The spontaneous, unfiltered gesture was forever etched in the memory of the derby.
- His little moustache tickled me. I wasn’t expecting it
- But… You kissed him back
Both players confessed that they were just friends, but then what is behind this unusual gesture?
We cannot deny that football is one of the most male-dominated spaces that exist and a place synonymous with camaraderie. But some have even spoken of a certain “eroticism” in football celebrations; because there is a rather curious contradiction: very few openly gay players, yet football is a space where for years men have had the freedom to touch, hug, cry, hold each other, and celebrate practically on top of one another… all of this in front of thousands of people.And here comes the uncomfortable truth that few want to admit.
Off the pitch, those same gestures can take on a completely different meaning, and they themselves are extremely careful about how they show their affection. So… do the rules of masculinity change when there is a ball involved?
And let’s be honest… a hug would have been enough. Maybe there are deeper feelings, but society is still not ready for this discussion.