ROGER MILLA dating the corner flag in the 1990 World Cup. Paul Gascoigne baring his teeth in the dentist’s chair at Euro 96. Senegal gyrating around Papa Bouba Diop’s shirt in 2002. Peter Crouch, England versus Hungary, 2006. Welcome to the pantheon of great goal celebrations, Rodney Trotter the Rusty Android.

Crouch’s machine routine after he scored the third goal in England’s win over Hungary was not so much body-popping as eye-popping. Never mind 4-1-4-1, give the man a squirt of WD-40. Arlene Phillips, a judge on Strictly Come Dancing and Strictly Dance Fever, felt there was room for improvement.

“It’s hysterical. I’d give it around a five [out of ten],” Phillips said. “He looks like a beginner’s guide to the ‘robot’. He wasn’t hopeless, it just didn’t go anywhere.”

She added that as a dance the “robot” is not a natural candidate for a celebration: “It doesn’t come out of exuberance, you have to hold back, control every move. To do what he’s done, one has to pop and isolate parts of the body. He does that quite well. For anybody who’s not a natural dancer it takes so long to learn to isolate — you could have someone for two months and they wouldn’t understand.”

Possessing the deportment of a half-starved giraffe in stilettos may have turned Crouch into a figure of fun, but Phillips said that his 6ft 7in frame increases his funky potential. “His height and lean shape are very helpful. He probably finds it easier [than a shorter, fatter person].” Footage of the celebration set to the James Brown tune Sex Machine is circulating on the internet. The 25-year-old had performed the “robot” while Brown sang at the Beckhams’ pre-tournament party.

A dance institution has offered the Liverpool forward the chance to hone his moves after the World Cup. “We spotted Peter Crouch ‘dancing’ the ‘robot’ on the turf at Old Trafford. The Royal Academy of Dance would like to help him out by offering him free dance lessons at their Day of Dance,” a spokesman said. “What better way for a nation to celebrate England’s football success than by getting on their feet and dancing?”

It was at least a more original effort than John Terry’s. After his goal the Chelsea defender mimicked the baby-rocking rejoicing of Bebeto in the 1994 World Cup finals because his partner recently gave birth to twins. It was the only time on Tuesday that England could be said to resemble Brazil.

Phillips thinks that Crouch’s night to remember could lead to “a huge revival” for the dance that was popular in America in the 1970s: Strictly Crouch Dancing, if you like. The striker is already linked to nostalgia via his nickname, Rodney Trotter, after the character in Only Fools and Horses.

At least C-3PO with a screw loose is a safer routine to emulate at home than, say, Lomana LuaLua’s back-flips. Research claims that one in six fans have injured themselves celebrating a goal. Feet stay planted, so Wayne Rooney need not fear.

There is also the possibility that Crouch will follow in the choreographed footsteps of the likes of Darren Gough, Martin Offiah, Evander Holyfield, Gloria Hunniford and Denise Lewis on Strictly Come Dancing. “I will bet somebody at the BBC has already got their eye on him,” Phillips said.

Better than appearing in a pizza advert after missing a penalty, certainly.