Nicolas Anelka has today been charged by the Football Association for his perceivably racist goal celebration against West Ham United on December 28, according to the BBC. The West Brom striker made the controversial "quenelle" gesture after scoring against the Hammers last year and now faces a minimum five-match ban if found guilty. The incident has caused a furore, with the ex-Chelsea forward's reputation hanging by a thread and Albion's sponsor Zoopla ending its agreement with the club at the end of the season because of it. The former France international made the "quenelle" sign the day after the French government announced it was trying to ban comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala's displaying of the salute. France's Sport minister Minster Valerie Fourneyron blasted Anelka for the gesture, labelling him anti-Semitic and calling his actions "shocking and disgusting". Critics say the quenelle sign is reminiscent of the Nazi salute while people have been photographed making the sign at synagogues and Holocaust sites. Anelka isn't the first professional football player to exhibit a controversial goal celebration and he surely won't be the last. With the footballing world going into meltdown over Anelka's actions, here, we take a look at the 10 Most Controversial Goal Celebrations Ever.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
