MLS Player Scores Goal, Puts On Spider-Man Mask, Gets Immediate Yellow Card

Everyone's favorite friendly neighborhood Spider-Man made an appearance during an MLS playoff game between Atlanta United FC and the Columbus Crew.

Unfortunately for Spidey, he was immediately dealt a yellow card.

The man behind the mask was not Peter Parker or Miles Morales. It was instead Atlanta's Xande Silva.

The forward from Portugal put one in the back of the net to give his team the lead, then snagged his (kind of chincy-looking) Spider-Man mask from what appeared to be a photographer station behind the goal.

With his mask on, Spidey Silva started slangin' air webs into the crowd. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium crowd was feeling it.

The whole scene was electrifying. It no doubt helped Atlanta win 4-2.

One person not feeling it was the referee. He promptly gave Silva a yellow card for his excessive celebration.

Could The MLS Use More Over The Top Celebrations?

Yeah, I would say a premeditated Spider-Man mask fits the bill for an "excessive celebration." Still, I feel like the MLS could use some of this pageantry, for lack of a more masculine word.

Look, Messi and Inter Miami CF are done for the season. Is there any reason other than a player celebrating a goal with a Spider-Man mask that would get me to write about the MLS playoffs on a Wednesday morning?

Probably not.

The traditionalists — people who unironically call soccer "The Beautiful Game" — would hate it. But you've got to get eyes on the league somehow. I think if a couple of players started a Terrell Owens-Chad Ochocinco-style celebrations arms race you'd see Apple TV subscriptions make a jump.

Not a big jump, but a jump is a jump.

Much like it did in the NFL, things would quickly get out of hand and everyone would need to be reeled back in, but once you've got people in the door at least a few would stay.

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle