Read 3 minutesUpdated: June 16, 2026 06:21 PM IST
Exactly one year later on 15 June 2025, Egypt’s Imam Ashour was taken on a stretcher to a hospital in Miami after suffering a collarbone fracture in Messi’s Club World Cup match against Inter Miami. He left the field in tears while playing for Egyptian club Al Ahly. So When he opened the scoring for the Faroes against Belgium in SeattleAshour completed an emotional reversal — one he celebrated with his favorite — the ‘Billionaire Strut,’ which traces its origins to the most American of things going global — the WWE.
Popularized by the incredibly influential Vince McMahon, the comedic conductor of WrestleMania in the 1990s, the Billionaire Strut is an exaggerated, over-the-top “me-me-myself” entrance into an arena that embodies falsity, arrogance, supreme politeness and self-righteousness. That said, it did impress America itself, and wrestler-turned-promoter McMahon used to poke fun at the corporate suit when he approached the ring. The louder the boos, the happier Vince was.
Many athletes—among them boxers and MMA stars—who take such booming bombastic entrances have since gone on to become billionaires.
Imam Ashoor was almost sent off by his own team-mate after scoring a stunning goal against Belgium. pic.twitter.com/zHkaNucxWX
— Banter FC (@FCBanter_) 15 June 2026
The Sergio Ramos connection
Ashour may have taken it from Spanish footballer Sergio Ramos, who went viral trying to brag-walk while visiting the UFC. Walking involves square shoulders, big head puffs, and arms and legs tossing and turning as if you’re the evil master of the universe. The hands move slowly as the pride spreads across the face. B-boying has woven it into the routine.
Ashur managed no driving ego at Lumen Field and pulled off a technically well-choreographed walk. But the festival is closely associated with Egyptian and African club football. In fact, his return to lethality from a collarbone injury and surgery was only validated when he scored at the Continental Club six months ago and brought out The Strut.
The Egyptians, looking to win their first World Cup, however, did not allow him to complete a full strut after a long-range strike from 21 yards in the 20th minute, as team-mates pounced on him.
McMahon’s strut, when he called The Walk to the “Not a Chance in Hell” soundtrack, seemed self-explanatory in the circus world of pro wrestling. However, it started with its villainous “heel” turn, where the characters go rogue. For Ashour, when he received a smooth pass from the talisman Mo Salah, his back-heel turn ended in heroic glory as he sent a powerful quick drive past the great Thibaut Courtois. Pharaoh once walked before the rush of billionaires.