Football
Chris Wright, Toe Poke writer 5y

Footballer celebrates goal by proposing to girlfriend, gets booked

We've certainly seen some lavish goal celebrations over the years, right from the donning of smuggled superhero masks through to elaborate ensemble dance routines.

However, Antofagasta midfielder Eduard Bello upped the ante after finding the net during his side's Chilean league match against Everton on Sunday afternoon.

Bello took just two minutes to open the scoring for the away side and celebrated by running up into the stands, getting down on one knee and proposing to his girlfriend, beach volleyball player Gabriela Brito.

The Venezuela international grabbed the ring from an accomplice in the dugout before climbing up into the terraces and placing it on his partner's finger.

Bello received an ovation from the crowd but his romantic gesture didn't impress the referee, who showed him a yellow card.

Brito told ADN Deportes radio: "It's no wonder he insisted so much on me coming. It really took me by surprise because we hadn't spoken about it [marriage]."

Speaking of the future ceremony, she said: "We probably will go to Venezuela and it will be in December."

Bello scored again later in the second half (surely the first player ever to score two goals with a different marital status in the same match) but Antofagasta went on to lose 3-2.

The 23-year-old was also subbed off with an injury midway through the second half, but even the fractured fibula he suffered isn't likely to dampen his spirits or stop him from dancing with his new bride come the big day.

"I'm going to be out between three and four months but I have to be positive," Bello told CDF. "I take with me my family success. Injuries are part of football. Everything happens for a reason. Unfortunately this injury comes at a very sweet time for me.

"As for the proposal, I had been thinking about it for a long time but I hadn't been able to do it. I had the authorisation of the club executives and my coach because I knew I would be booked. Thanks to God everything came out in the best possible way."

The vision of a player clambering into the stands to celebrate with a loved one instantly brought back memories of Alessandro Florenzi.

After burying one against Cagliari in 2014, the Roma midfielder ran the length of the stadium to give his grandmother a great big hug -- reducing the poor woman to tears live on television.

Speaking after the game, Florenzi explained his celebration: "She [Nonna] told me: 'I'm only coming to see you but only if you come over and say hi."

In case you were wondering, then yes -- the referee on duty that day did book the Giallorossi man for time-wasting once he emerged back onto the pitch.

All you can ask from officials is consistency. Rules are rules, after all.

ESPN FC's Spain correspondent Adriana Garcia contributed to this report

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