Cody Gakpo faces an FA reprimand after copying Kaka's iconic 'I belong to Jesus' celebration during Liverpool's win over Tottenham.
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Gakpo wore a “I belong to Jesus” shirtWas yellow-carded for removing his jerseyMight be served a notice for putting up a religious messageFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Gakpo found the back of the net to make it 3-1 during Liverpool’s emphatic 5-1 dismantling of Tottenham at Anfield. The result effectively sealed the Premier League title for Arne Slot’s side, who only needed a draw to officially claim the trophy with four fixtures remaining.
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Gakpo celebrated his crucial strike by lifting his jersey, which resulted in an immediate yellow card for breaching standard uniform rules. Moreover, the celebration sparked instant comparisons to Kaka’s memorable gesture in 2007 when the Brazilian midfielder famously lifted his AC Milan shirt to display the same "I belong to Jesus" slogan after defeating Liverpool in the Champions League final.
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Football’s global rulebook leaves little room for ambiguity when it comes to displays of religious sentiment. According to Law 4 of the International Football Association Board’s Laws of the Game, players are strictly prohibited from showcasing any political, religious, or personal messages on their clothing.
The Law reads: “Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images. Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer’s logo. For any offence the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association or by Fifa.”
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR GAKPO?
Per the , the FA is all set to send a warning to the Reds and Gakpo and remind them of the global football body's rules, which the FA follows.
