Qudus SalihuDominic Calvert-Lewin has broken the internet following his highly emotional return to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, where a “classy” response to a mixed reception from Everton fans has seen him go immediately viral. In a tense 1-1 draw between Everton and Leeds United on Monday night, the spotlight was firmly on the former Toffees number nine, making his first appearance at his old stomping ground since joining the Whites on a free transfer.
The atmosphere was electric as Calvert-Lewin stepped onto the pitch, met with a complex wall of sound—a blend of respectful applause from those remembering his 71 goals for the club and a chorus of boos from a section of the Goodison faithful still stung by his summer exit. However, it was Calvert-Lewin’s reaction at the final whistle that set social media alight.
Instead of heading straight for the tunnel after a frustrating night where he struck the post and narrowly missed a second-half header, the striker made a point of walking to all four corners of the ground. Footage captured him placing a hand over his heart and offering a lingering, respectful applaud to the Gwladys Street End. The clip, which has already amassed millions of views, shows a visible moment of reflection from the forward, who spent nearly a decade on Merseyside.
”He could have easily ignored them after the boos, but that was pure class,” one fan noted on X (formerly Twitter). Another added: “You can see what the club still means to him. This is how you handle a return.”
While the match itself saw Thierno Barry cancel out James Justin’s opener, the narrative shifted entirely to the “DCL homecoming.” Pundits have hailed the “unbelievable” maturity shown by the 28-year-old, whose Leeds revival under Daniel Farke has kept the Yorkshire side six points clear of the drop. For Evertonians, seeing their former star thriving elsewhere is a “sobering” reminder of the club’s recent struggles, but Calvert-Lewin’s viral gesture has at least provided a moment of mutual respect in an otherwise fiery relegation-adjacent battle.
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Qudus Salihu
