Whenever Celestine Babayaro scored, fans knew what was coming: a running somersault, sometimes two, that delighted crowds and made him one of football’s most entertaining celebrators. Behind the acrobatics was a talented left-back who made his Champions League debut as a teenager, scored in an Olympic final and spent eight seasons at Chelsea. Babayaro was part of the Nigerian generation that conquered the world at the 1996 Olympics, and he remains a popular figure among fans of club and country.
Early life and Chelsea
Celestine Babayaro was born on 29 August 1978 in Kaduna, Nigeria. He played for local clubs before moving to Europe as a teenager. He joined Anderlecht in Belgium and made his Champions League debut at 16, becoming one of the youngest players ever to appear in the competition. At the 1996 Olympics, Babayaro scored in the final against Argentina as Nigeria won 3-2 to take the gold medal.
In 1997 he joined Chelsea, where he played for eight seasons. He won the FA Cup in 2000 and was part of the side that grew into a top Premier League club.
The somersault and Newcastle
His somersault celebration became his trademark and was copied by children in playgrounds. In 2005 he moved to Newcastle United. He played for Nigeria at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups and several Africa Cups of Nations. He was an attacking left-back with pace and a good left foot. Injuries affected parts of his career, limiting his appearances in some seasons.
He retired after a spell in the United States with LA Galaxy. His brother Emmanuel Babayaro was a goalkeeper who also won Olympic gold in 1996.
Legacy and the 1996 final
Babayaro is remembered as one of the most entertaining Nigerian players of his generation. The final in Athens, Georgia, saw Nigeria come from behind twice before Emmanuel Amuneke’s late winner. Babayaro’s goal was the first of Nigeria’s three, and his celebration became one of the famous images of the tournament. Chelsea supporters remember him fondly as a loyal and entertaining player from the club’s years before its biggest successes.
Celestine Babayaro scored in an Olympic final at 17. Many fans still remember the somersault that followed better than the goal itself.