In the wake of Chelsea's surprise triumph in the Champions League in 2012, the limelight was justifiably hogged by Didier Drogba who rescued his team with a bullet of a header in the final minutes of normal time and then slipped home the winning penalty. And it was unjustifiably hogged by John Terry who quickly changed clothes and by doing so established a meme that will last for a thousand years.
Terry's giddy celebration was widely adjudged to be the most scandalous act in a Chelsea shirt since David Mellor was a cabinet minister. But, after 14 years service, Terry was surely entitled to celebrate any way he saw fit? And Mellor does not, as far as we're aware, make love to anyone in a Chelsea strip. That detail was, of course, made up by the UK tabloids.
A far more appealing post-victory celebration came via the now retired Frank Lampard.
When Didier slipped home the winning peno, Lamps took off in the direction of the Chelsea fans at the other end of the Allianz Arena and proceeded to indiscriminately offer up hugs to any topless, sweaty man who came looking for one.
One would swear Lamps was personally familiarity with all these pitch invaders, judging by the ease and manifest affection with which he embraced all of them.
Back in the heyday of English hooliganism in the 1980s, players (especially Chelsea players) would probably have been more circumspect. But Lamps, with all his credit in the bank, and with the Champions League medal won, knew he'd nothing to fear.
When Frank Lampard turned straight to the Chelsea fans after winning the Champions League. Legend. pic.twitter.com/PLsNGWuXVQ
— FourFourTweet (@FourFourTweet) February 2, 2017
