First Ancelotti, then Zlatan and now Guardiola: Has cigar become symbolic of celebrations?

On Monday, Man City boss Pep Guardiola smoked a cigar during the Premier League glory celebrations, similar to AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti.

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From Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti to AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovich to Man City manager Pep Guardiola, these three iconic names in European football have created waves in their respective leagues with championship glory and have also made smoking a cigar symbolic of celebrations.

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Carlo Ancelotti had fans fawning over one of the 'greatest photos they had ever seen' as the Italian posed with a cigar during Real Madrid's open-top bus celebrations on May 1. Los Blancos clinched their 35th LaLiga title with a 4-0 win over Espanyol a day before, lifting the trophy at the Bernabeu after the game.

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And the celebrations continued on Sunday, with Ancelotti and his players being driven through the streets of Madrid. In a photo that went viral, Ancelotti, who has often been likened to an Italian mob boss, was seen smoking a cigar with Vinicius Jr., Eder Militao, David Alaba and Rodrygo all smiling in the background.

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Madrid's LaLiga triumph capped a remarkable milestone for Ancelotti. The Italian became the first manager to capture titles in Europe's top five leagues England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France. The 62-year-old manager has one of the most decorated CVs in world football. When he was lured back to Real Madrid for a second spell last June following the departure of club great Zinedine Zidane, Ancelotti knew that his only mission was to increase the club's trophy haul. 

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A trend started by Ancelotti continued in the Italian Serie A when AC Milan clinched the coveted trophy for the first time in 11 years, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic ensured he made the most of the occasion.

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A 3-0 victory away to Sassuolo enabled Milan to hold off city rivals Inter in the title race, and plenty of emotions were released after the game. For 40-year-old veteran striker Ibrahimovic, it could be his career farewell and the Swede celebrated by smoking a large cigar and spraying champagne.

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The Swedish superstar enthralling fans in true Ibra-style comes as no surprise. But what does is the unexpected sight of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola making a WWE-style entrance – emerging from the smoke with a cigar in his hand during his team's Premier League glory celebrations.

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Thousands of jubilant fans crowded into the city centre to join the party 24 hours after the Sky Blue's incredible 3-2 victory over Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the Premier League season to seal their fourth title in five seasons. But it was the sight of the Spaniard puffing away on a cigar down Deansgate that left fans stunned.

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Photographs of Guardiola with a cigar in his hand a day after Ibrahimovich puffed one in front of spectators have sparked a debate across social media platforms if the cigar has become a mark of champions celebrating their glorious season.

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While some believe that seeing the three legends of the sport with a cigar in their mouths is the coolest thing, a few have been left unimpressed as they believe smoking in front of thousands only sets a bad example for the younger generation. Regardless, the new trend appears to have picked up the pace.

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It will be interesting to see if Carlo Ancelotti will smoke another cigar if Real Madrid becomes champions of Europe when they face Liverpool on May 28 in Paris.

(Warning: Smoking is injurious to health)