My Mum told me not to backflip again — Semenyo on his goal celebration against Spurs
3rd February 2026
Antoine Semenyo has revealed that his eye-catching backflip celebration after scoring against Tottenham Hotspur came with an unexpected consequence, a gentle telling-off from his mother.
The Ghanaian forward scored Manchester City’s second goal in their 2-2 Premier League draw in north London over the weekend, before celebrating with a trademark acrobatic flip that quickly caught the attention of fans.
But while supporters enjoyed the moment, Semenyo says his mum was less impressed.
“The first thing I got was a message from my mum saying, ‘Why are you still doing the backflip?" he told CBS Sports. “She was happy I scored, don’t get me wrong, but she definitely gave me a bit of a telling-off for the flip.
“She’s like, ‘Just keep your feet on the ground, please!’ So I’m never going to do it anymore.”
The light-hearted exchange offered a human glimpse into life beyond the pitch for the 25-year-old, who has been in fine form this season and continues to grow in influence for City.
While the backflip may be retired, Semenyo’s goalscoring touch is very much alive and for his mum, that seems to be celebration enough.