They say never meet your heroes, but Cecilio Waterman just couldn’t help himself Thursday during Panama’s Nations League semifinal against the U.S. men’s national team at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
A dreadful slog of a game quickly became Waterman’s chance to not only meet Thierry Henry, the player he most admired growing up as kid in Panama, but to celebrate his stoppage-time goal with the former World Cup champion.
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Moments after scoring the first and only goal of the match in the 94th minute, Waterman spotted Henry, who was seated pitchside while working the game as an analyst for CBS, and sprinted toward him. Waterman leapt over the fence, got in Henry’s face and embraced him, all while being swarmed by his teammates for the joyous goal celebration.
‘YOU ARE MY IDOL’ 👈
Incredible moment as Panama’s Cecilio Waterman runs straight to his footballing hero Thierry Henry after scoring the 94′ winner against the USA.pic.twitter.com/ZLkasMx9rA
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) March 21, 2025
“You’re my idol! You’re my idol!” Waterman told Henry in Spanish in the moment. Later, during the post match show, Waterman was invited to the panel and told the story of how he grew up idolizing Henry and was overtaken by the moment.
“Last night, they asked me who my childhood idol was, and I said Thierry Henry… I scored, saw you, and knew I had to come say hi.”
Cecilio Waterman shares the story behind his celebration with Thierry Henry and shares what to expect from Panama in the @CNationsLeague final 🇵🇦 pic.twitter.com/gEqdCO4jIj
— Golazo America (@GolazoAmerica) March 21, 2025
“Last night, at the team hotel, I was asked ‘who is your idol’ and I said ‘it’s always been Thierry Henry.’ I watched him play at Arsenal, and the truth is, ever since I was a young kid he will be an inspiration for me. Since I was a boy. I scored the goal, I saw you and I knew I had to come and say hi.”
Henry said he was shocked when it happened and was happy the embrace went the way it did.
“I never thought I was going to be part of a celebration like that and not scoring the goal and not even being on the field,”Henry said. “That’s what it meant to him. I saw in his eyes because he was pretty close, that he was in a trance. Thank God I understand Spanish. When he said ‘eres mi idolo’ I was like OK, phew. I don’t know where we were going there, but that was special.”
Waterman’s goal proved to be the difference in the match as the listless Americans failed to equalize in the closing minutes.
Panama will face the winner of Thursday’s late match between Mexico and Canada in Sunday’s final where Waterman will have a chance to lift Panama’s first Nations League trophy, though the moment may not come close to matching the time he met his idol.
