The Most Controversial World Cup Goal Celebration

When Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri scored the equalising and winning goals for Switzerland against Serbia at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, both players celebrated by performing the double-handed eagle gesture, landing them a hefty fine and causing a minor diplomatic crisis.

Outside of the Balkans, however, few people paid any notice or even really understood what it meant.

So ahead of Switzerland and Serbia meeting in another decisive group stage tie, this time at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, HITC Sevens takes a look at why that celebration in Russia was so controversial, the context behind it, and the build-up to this game.