FLEMMING REVEALS THE MEANING BEHIND THAT GOAL CELEBRATION
Forward discusses the story behind his iconic celebration
2025-04-03T09:00:00.000Z
FLEMMING REVEALS THE MEANING BEHIND THAT GOAL CELEBRATION
Forward discusses the story behind his iconic celebration
2025-04-03T09:00:00.000Z
Forward discusses the story behind his iconic celebration
Forward discusses the story behind his iconic celebration
Forward discusses the story behind his iconic celebration
When Zian Flemming scores a goal, it’s not just him that that raises both biceps in the air and grins, but several of his teammates and supporters also join in with the Dutchman in joy.
However, there’s a real meaning behind the celebration which we have seen many of times this campaign and the 26-year-old was open and honest when discussing the story of it to Clarets+ this week.
Following numerous setbacks and being knocked down as a youngster attempting to break into his footballing career, Flemming was inspired by an iconic celebration from UFC fighter Nate Diaz, following his memorable win over Connor McGregor back in March 2016.
After Diaz took many blows and looked to be down and out, the American eventually won the fight against the odds and Flemming admits he related his own difficult pathway in his football journey to that very moment when Diaz lifted his biceps in the air in victory.
“The story kind of started when I was 16/17 in the Academy of Ajax. I had a very late growth spurt and had a lot of issues with my knees and heels, which basically kept me out of football for like two years.
“I had a lot of problems with it and every time I had a setback, there wasn’t anything I could do as only time could heal it really.
“Obviously at that age it’s quite a significant amount of time that you’re out, because it’s an important time for first contracts and turning professional.”
After two years out of football, Flemming returned but it wasn’t as simple as just getting back into the team and playing again, the forward explained: “Then let’s say after two hard years I came back and I basically needed a full year to just get to know my body again, because I had grown like 20 centimetres in that timeframe.
“So, when I came back and I was fit, I had to refine myself and my coordination and that took me a full season as well.
“By the time I was then ready to get back into the U19s, which is like the highest youth team, the cards had been shuffled and I had missed a valuable couple of years, so I was quite a bit behind in terms of selection.
“I basically had to start all the way down the bottom of the three again and fight myself back up and I started that season not even being in the squad or on the bench.”
Although Flemming was tasked was a difficult and challenging number of years from the initial set-back to breaking into the side again, he wasn’t ever going to give up.
“I just didn't want to give up on it and simultaneously at the time there was the rivalry between (Connor) McGregor and (Nate) Diaz and I don’t know if people remember it, but the first fight, I think Diaz took it on a few weeks’ notice against like the world champion, like the best, best, very best in the world.
“And I remember seeing that and he basically just got battered by McGregor, got beaten up really bad like his face was bleeding and everything, but he just kept standing up and he just stood his ground constantly regardless of the blood in his face and eventually won the fight by submission.”
“Then because what I was going through was at a similar time to this, I kind of used that as a reference for all the setbacks I had in my career.
“Life can sometimes keep hitting you and knocking you down, but I refused to give up and used that as an inspiration to succeed.”
After relating to the fight as the setbacks Flemming had endured in his own career, the striker then took the celebration and reflected on the first time he did it.
“After I was gradually getting more minutes from the bench, I scored my first goal for the U19s at Ajax and pulled out that Diaz celebration and there was a photographer there who caught the moment perfectly and I just kind of carried on doing it then after that.
“I scored a few more league goals and it was getting more attention and I ended up finishing the season on around 15/20 goals and scored against PSV in the cup final and against rivals Feyenoord in the Championship game.
“I was eventually rewarded with a professional contract at Ajax after all the setbacks, which was a proud moment, but yeah that’s the story really behind the celebration.
“It just came at a time whilst where I had to start all over again and I was trying to make a comeback in my own fight and since then I have just carried on doing it and it’s stuck."
It’s a common theme now, when Flemming scores for the Clarets, the likes of Josh Brownhill, Jaidon Anthony, Josh Laurent and many others all like to join in.
The attacker admits he didn’t think it would quite get the attention it does, but says it ‘completes the feeling’ when he sees the supporters joining in too.
“It’s nice like I said, the first I did it I never though all these years down the line I would still be doing it.
“It has just developed and I think it’s because it’s a bit different to just a normal celebration and when I score and the fans join in too it just completes the feeling.”
Flemming, who won Burnley's Rapidz Goal of the Month award for December and January and has been nominated once again for March, had a final word before the interview came to an end.
“It is fun but at the same time I never forget where it came from and what I went through, from Nate Diaz celebrating with the blood on his face and against all the odds, I will always relate to that moment.”
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