3 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026 06:21 PM IST
Exactly a year to the day on June 15, 2025, Egypt’s Emam Ashour had been stretchered off to a hospital in Miami after fracturing his collarbone in a Club World Cup game against Messi’s Inter Miami. Playing for Egyptian club Al Ahly, he had left the field in tears. So when he opened the scoring for the Pharaohs against Belgium at Seattle, Ashour completed an emotional turnaround — one he celebrated with what’s his favourite celebration — the ‘Billionaire Strut’, that traces its origins to the most American of things that goes global — WWE.
Made famous by wrestling mania’s comedic conductor, the incredulous impressario Vince McMahon in 1990s, the Billionaire Strut is an exaggerated, over-the-top “Me-Me-Myself” entrance into an arena that fakes swagger, arrogance, supreme self-importance, and theatrical hubris. That is to say, it self-effaces America, and was used by the wrestler-turned-promoter McMahon to poke fun at corporate suits when he approached the ring. The louder the boos, the happier was Vince.
Several athletes — among them boxers and MMA stars who take to that kind of thriving bombastic entrances, have done the Billionaire strut subsequently.
Emam Ashour was almost KNOCKED OUT cold by his own teammate after scoring an absolute banger vs Belgium pic.twitter.com/zHkaNucxWX
— Banter FC (@FCBanter_) June 15, 2026
Sergio Ramos connnection
Ashour though might’ve picked it from Spanish footballer Sergio Ramos, who went viral trying to walk the brag-walk when he visited UFC. The walk involves bigging the square shoulders, bobbing the big head, and throwing limbs around as if you are the evil-master of the universe. The hands swing in slow-mo, as feigned arrogance oozes with the face set in a scowl. B-Boying has weaved it into routines.
Ashour managed none of the driving arrogance at Lumen Field and pulled off a technically well-choreographed walk. But the celebration is closely identified with him in Egyptian and African club football. In fact, his return to lethality from the collarbone injury and surgery, was authenticated only when he scored a continental club goal six months ago, and brought out The Strut.
The Egyptians looking for their first World Cup win, however, didn’t allow him to complete the full strut after the 20th minute long range strike from 21 yards, as teammates dogpiled on him.
McMahon’s strut, as he walked out to “No chance in hell” soundtrack was called The Walk, as if it was self-explanatory in the circus universe of pro wrestling. However, it began with his villainous “Heel” turn, where characters turn baddies. For Ashour, when he received the smooth pass from talisman Mo Salah, his turn of the heel as he sent in a powerful speedy drive past the great Thibaut Courtois, ended in heroic glory. Pharaohs walked once before billionaires strutted.
