Former New York Red Bulls striker Patryk Klimala denies performing Nazi salute in Israel, as he says his goal celebration was ‘completely misunderstood by some fans’
- Patryk Klimala scored against Hapoel Jerusalem to give his side a 2-1 lead
- And his celebration has sparked anger, and forced an apology from him
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Ex-Red Bulls striker Patryk Klimala denied performing a Nazi salute after scoring on Saturday during a game vs. Hapoel Jerusalem.
The Hapoel Be’er Sheva player found the back of the net in the 54th minute, and proceeded to give a gesture towards his team’s fans afterwards.
While the celebration angered many across social media, Klimala insisted that it wasn’t what it looked like, and that he wanted to ‘greet our fans.’
‘My gesture during the goal celebration was completely misunderstood by some spectators,’ he wrote on Instagram.
‘As a Pole, who respects the history of both countries, I would never even think about performing the Nazi salute. While living in Poland, I visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp and I fully realize the importance of history and Jewish heritage.
Patryk Klimala performed the above celebration (left) but denied gesture was a Nazi salute
Klimala played for the Red Bulls from 2021-22 after joining from Scottish giants Celtic
‘After my goal, I just wanted to greet our fans. There was surely nothing else beyond it. I’m sorry if anyone took it the wrong way.
‘Lastly, this is a great opportunity to thank our great fans again for all of the support and I’m happy we got another important win. Have a nice week.’
Klimala’s gesture and apology comes after a racism scandal rocked his former team this month.
Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir admitted to using a racist remark against the Earthquakes on April 8, after which he was suspended for six games by MLS.
New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir was suspended by MLS for six games
San Jose player Jeremy Ebobisse said he heard a racist remark after the game, and footage showed players on both sides reacting by shoving Vanzeir away from a scuffle after the word was said.
Vanzeir was also fined an undisclosed amount and will be required to participate in additional league-mandated training and education sessions.
Klimala played for New York for two seasons from 2021-22 before joining Hapoel Be’er Sheva this winter.
He scored 13 goals in 57 league appearances.