Vinicius Jr’s Gun Celebration Explained

After suffering a Champions League and La Liga double hangover at the start of the season, Real Madrid appears to have found their stride at a critical juncture. As their local rivalry with Barcelona heats up and the knockout stages of the league they adore loom ahead, Carlo Ancelotti’s team appears unstoppable once more.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the recent performances of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, who have combined to form an enviable frontline in recent weeks. The latter will be looking to add silverware this season in order to make amends for last year’s Ballon d’Or, which he narrowly missed out on.

With 17 goals and 12 assists in 33 games across all competitions, the Brazilian winger has every reason to think he’s good enough to be back in the mix this time. But it’s not just his actions with the ball at his feet that have sparked global interest; it’s also his new gun celebration, the meaning of which has now been revealed (see the celebration below).

Vinicius Junior’s Celebration is back. pic.twitter.com/nMiKxGTaMe

— 𝐕𝐉𝐑  (@TeamVini7) February 23, 2025

Vinicius Junior’s Celebration is back. pic.twitter.com/nMiKxGTaMe

— 𝐕𝐉𝐑  (@TeamVini7) February 23, 2025

Meaning Behind Vinicius Jr’s ‘Gun Celebration’

It pays homage to his friends

Vinicius introduced his new signature celebration in December 2024, following his comeback from injury with a goal against Atalanta that helped Real Madrid qualify for the Champions League playoffs. In a departure from his normal Samba-inspired dances, the winger closed his eyes and mimicked a gunshot action, prompting a surge of interest and speculation among fans.

Edinson Cavani had previously received a contentious red card for his ‘gun-finger’ celebration when at PSG, prompting questions about Vinicius’ choice of gesture among many onlookers. However, the celebration has been a frequent occurrence in recent weeks, with no consequences, and his colleague Mbappe has even replicated it (see photo below). The 24-year-old revealed the anecdote with Madrid Xtra.

“I always play PlayStation with my pals, and they requested me to arrange this celebration. I’m going to keep doing it because it’s helped me score more goals.

🗣️ Vinícius Jr.: “I always play the Play Station with my friends and they asked me to do this celebration. I'm going to continue with it because I'm scoring more goals since I've been doing it.” pic.twitter.com/rrcpzEaGot

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) January 23, 2025

Kylian Mbappé doing Vinicíus Jr celebration. 🥶🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/xit9nHgb2v

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) February 23, 2025

That interview took place on January 23, and while one fan predicted, “We are going to see it often because he won’t stop scoring,” those predictions were correct. The Brazilian is now on fire, and his celebration, which has been dubbed ‘one of the coolest in football’, could become a common sight as Los Blancos seek their 16th Champions League title.

Real Madrid has won more games across all competitions than any other club in Europe’s top five leagues since the beginning of 2025, thus Ancelotti’s squad appears to be capable of going to the same lengths they did last season. The million-dollar question remains: Will Vinicius Junior win the Ballon d’Or?