Brazil & Man Utd star Matheus Cunha's 'Samba Surfer' Celebration Explained

Writing has always been Josh's way of expressing his deep enthusiasm for sports, and this new path allows him to bring a fresh and honest perspective to his work.

He also gains valuable experience as a volunteer match reporter for the Loughborough Foxes WFC. Covering live events has helped Josh improve his storytelling skills and given him a closer insight into the game. Sign in to your GiveMeSport account Whenever Matheus Cunha finds the net, be that for Manchester United or Brazil, one thing is near enough guaranteed to happen: the surfing celebration.

The forward marks his goals by crouching low and riding an imaginary wave in front of the cameras. Coming out for the first time in 2025 when playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, it’s now a routine that has become one of the more recognisable celebrations in football, and has even made it as far as the World Cup.

Behind the playful gesture, though, is a story rooted in something much more personal than most fans probably realise, tying back to where Cunha grew up and how he switches off from the pressures of football.

The celebration follows a familiar pattern every time. Cunha drops to the ground as if diving onto a surfboard, paddles briefly with both arms, then pops up to his feet and rides an imaginary wave, exactly as a surfer would when catching one out at sea.

What began as a fairly simple gesture of pretending to balance on a surfboard has turned into something closer to a full performance, even if it only lasts a handful of seconds. It's become one of the most talked-about parts of his game, regularly clipped and shared across social media every time he finds the net.

Vinicius Jr is never shy to show his emotions on the football pitch, and that's exactly what he did in Real Madrid's win vs Man City.

Speaking about the celebration, Cunha made it clear that it isn't just for show.

He explained that the sport is a part of his life rather than a gimmick invented for the cameras.

He's detailed where the love of surfing comes from, growing up in Joao Pessoa in northeastern Brazil before learning to ride waves in Baia Formosa, the hometown of his close friend Italo Ferreira, the 2019 World Surf League champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist.

"Surfing has become a big part of my life, a way to relax," Cunha said, adding that he follows the sport almost as closely as football itself and considers Ferreira one of his best friends.

For anyone new to football and unfamiliar with the gesture, it's essentially Cunha bringing a piece of home onto the pitch, using surfing as both an escape from the pressures of professional sport and a way to express his personality once the ball hits the net.

It also explains why this celebration carries far more weight for him than a standard goal celebration would, given how much time he actually spends on the sport away from football, to the point where he’s even sampled it in the cold waters of Bristol.

The surfing routine isn't the only trick up Cunha's sleeve, even if it's become the one most associated with him. He's also been known to mix in more traditional celebrations, depending on the occasion, be them solo celebrations or with teammates.

Earlier in his time with the Red Devils, Cunha experimented with a handful of other gestures, like a point to the sky, kneeslides and kisses blown in the direction of adoring fans, before settling on the surfing routine as his go-to celebration, and his teammates have got in on the act too, with multiple United and Brazil players performing it with him.

It's now reached the point where fans actively expect to see it whenever he scores, adding extra anticipation to his goals beyond just the strike itself, regardless of the competition or occasion.