Tevez's dummy secret

Tevez kept his team-mates in the dark over celebration

Last updated: 3rd January 2008

Carlos Tevez dummy Manchester United

Tevez: Dummy celebration

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Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez has revealed he kept his famous dummy goal celebration a secret from his Manchester United team-mates.

The family man both stunned and delighted Old Trafford by popping a dummy into his mouth after he scored the winning goal against Birmingham on New Year's Day.

The dummy was to show Tevez was thinking of his daughter Florencia and wife Vanesa, who are in Argentina.

The 23-year-old explained: "I have dedicated my goal against Birmingham to Florencia.

"I spent a good Christmas in Manchester with my family but they left England on New Year's Eve so that they could spend some time at home in Buenos Aires.

Homage

"The idea behind the dummy was to pay homage to my daughter and to let her and my wife know that my family is still my priority.

"The absence of my family at this time of year is not easy but players have to be professional and in England our obligation is to be on the field at this time of year.

"Nobody else knew I was going to do this. I told my team-mates nothing and even made sure that they could not see what I was doing as I was getting changed.

"I put the dummy in an inside pocket of my shorts and just went out on to the pitch. So it was a surprise to everybody and that was what I wanted.

"Yesterday the image was in all the newspapers in Argentina and that is what I hoped. It means that my family will have seen it and that they will know that I am thinking of them at this time of year when, really, people should be together."

Celebrate

Tevez has produced the dummy before - as a Corinthians player to celebrate the birth of Florencia two-and-a-half years ago.

But it was the first-time he had performed the routine in this country.

On a more serious note, a scan has shown no serious damage to his ankle after he had to be substituted following a challenge by Birmingham's Liam Ridgewell.

But the Argentinean needs to rest the ankle so is doubtful for United's FA Cup Third Round tie at Aston Villa on Saturday.