Liverpool player may face punishment if found to have violated a little-known rule during Sunday’s match.

Liverpool Star Could Be Disciplined Over Anfield Goal Celebration After Breaking Lesser-Known Rule

A Liverpool player may find himself in hot water over his goal celebration during Sunday’s match at Anfield, after possibly violating one of football’s lesser-known regulations.

Cody Gakpo netted the third goal in Liverpool’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, a result that officially secured the club’s 20th league title. The Dutch forward marked his strike by lifting his shirt to reveal a vest that read “I Belong to Jesus.”

Referee Thomas Bramall issued a mandatory yellow card for the shirt removal, as per standard protocol. While the booking didn’t seem to bother the Anfield faithful in the slightest—given the significance of the occasion—it may not be the only consequence Gakpo faces for his display.

According to The Telegraph, the 25-year-old could be charged with breaching a rarely enforced rule prohibiting religious messages on player equipment. The FA’s Law 4 states that players are not allowed to wear undergarments with political, religious, personal slogans or messages, or any branding beyond the manufacturer’s logo. Any violation could lead to sanctions from competition organizers, the national FA, or FIFA.

So far, it’s unclear what kind of punishment might be handed down—if any at all.

Let’s keep things in perspective…

Yes, the rules exist for a reason. Authorities can’t simply pick and choose which regulations to enforce, and banning political or religious messaging is intended to avoid the risk of provocative statements about sensitive issues.

That said, it seems excessive to potentially punish a player for a spontaneous moment of celebration that played a part in sealing the Premier League title. Especially when more serious incidents can go unpunished if the referee doesn’t catch them (Jordan Pickford, anyone?).

At this point, Gakpo may face a fine—or if the FA takes a particularly strict stance, a suspension. But with the league already won, a ban would have little consequence on the team’s season.

Still, what was meant as a personal expression of faith now risks becoming a debate about the proportionality of football’s rules and penalties. Ideally, the authorities will approach the matter with some common sense and avoid taking an unnecessarily heavy-handed approach with the Liverpool forward.