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Saturday 12 April 2025 10:00
When Joshua Zirkzee found the net in Lyon on Thursday, his reaction was what Manchester United fans have come to expect.
Ever since marking his competitive Reds debut with a winning strike at the Stretford End, in the Premier League opener against Fulham, he has stuck to the same celebration – firing imaginary guns with both hands while enjoying the moment in front of the supporters.
But what is the inspiration behind it?
Well, Inside United got to the bottom of things when speaking to the Dutch forward for a big interview for the next edition of the official magazine, which is on sale from 15 April.
Is it a nod to the film Django Unchained or, as other people have suggested, mimicking iconic centre-forward Gabriel Batistuta’s celebration?
“So the Django story is the accurate one,” explained our no.11. “The Batistuta story is because it’s what I did in Italy, and it’s what he did in Italy as well. Maybe they said that I’m trying to copy him, but it’s not true.
“I admire Batistuta and it’s basically the same thing [that we both do]. But it’s not like I saw him do it and I wanted to do it because of him, do you know what I mean?”
Django Unchained is a 2012 Quentin Tarantino movie, a Western with a stellar cast list.
“It’s from the scene where he [Christoph Waltz’s character] teaches Django to shoot on the snowman,” added Zirkzee. “It’s the part where he’s practising shooting, so that’s where it came from. But over time, with emotions, you know when you score, you’re just happy… I just have to [do it].”
Waltz’s character Dr King Schulz, a bounty hunter, is schooling Django, played by Jamie Foxx, in the art of gunslinging, as he hones his accuracy by shooting at various parts of the snowman.
Waltz won Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role at the Oscars in the following year for his performance, while Foxx was also outstanding in the lead role of a slave striving to rescue his wife.
Let’s hope to see Zirk celebrating more in the season run-in!
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Saturday 12 April 2025 10:00
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