US soccer star Ricardo Pepi's goal celebration is inspired by the character Itachi Uchiha from the anime series 'Naruto'. Pepi's celebration reflects the character's ability, the Sharingan, which is awakened by suffering and loss.
Every great goalscorer has a celebration, and they inevitably become more iconic the more often you see them. Think of Cristiano Ronaldo's 'Siii.' What would Thierry Henry be without the famous knee slide that eventually became a statue? How many photos of Lionel Messi pointing to the sky are there? How many great goals have concluded in a Kylian Mbappe shrug? They're iconic not just because of the quality but because of the quantity. We've seen them all so many times.
Ricardo Pepi isn't in that company, although he hopes to be someday. Outside of his hometown of El Paso, he hasn't reached that iconic status just yet. But that personal celebration? He's found it, and it's one that means something. It's not one found in glory. It's not one meant to commemorate the euphoria that comes with scoring at the highest of levels, although Pepi has felt that rush on a regular basis of late.No, Pepi's celebration isn't necessarily based on joy. Instead, it's rooted in pain. The U.S. men's national team star stumbled into it about a year ago. After growing up watching the Japanese animated TV series 'Naruto' with his uncle, he inevitably fell back into the show as an adult. Professional athletes have time on their hands and, when they do, there are worse hobbies than locking yourself inside and binge watching anime. Throughout his rewatch, Pepi found himself captivated not by the namesake of the show, but rather by a character named Itachi Uchiha. Itachi is no hero, but not quite a villain, either. He's a complex character whose ability, the Sharingan, is awakened by suffering. It's marked by a red eye. Loss of a loved one, conflict, pain, failure, all make Itachi's abilities stronger. To unlock his highest self, he must first suffer great loss but, through that anguish, he gains powe
Soccer Ricardo Pepi Naruto Itachi Uchiha Goal Celebration
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