Nicolai Muller scores Hamburg winner, celebrates, tears cruciate ligament and rules himself out for seven months

A lesson in how not to celebrate a goal

Nicolai Muller tore a cruciate ligament and will be out for seven months (Bongarts/Getty Images)

Hamburg winger Nicolai Muller has been ruled out for seven months after injuring himself in an elaborate celebration of his match-winning goal on the Bundesliga's opening weekend.

The 29-year-old wheeled away to the corner flag after scoring the only goal in the 1-0 win over Augsburg on Saturday but had to leave the field moments later after falling awkwardly from a jumping pirouette.

He tried to play on but scans after the game showed he tore a cruciate ligament and will require surgery.

"The diagnosis is a huge shock for us, a big blow for the start of the season and of course extremely bitter for Nicolai," Hamburg's sporting director, Jens Todt, said after the game.

"We wish him a good recovery and will help him with that as well as we can."

In a small consolation to the man who was arguably Hamburg's best player last season, the goal helped the German side get off to a winning start in the Bundesliga following a shock cup defeat to Osnabruck last weekend.