7 soccer players with unusual tattoos: what Memphis Depay and Neymar are beating on themselves

Tattoos are not always just pretty pictures. For many people, they are symbols that carry a certain meaning. Some people use them to keep memories of memorable events or things, others write on their body a life credo. And someone wants to look spectacular.

We tell you about soccer players who are very fond of tattoos and do not hesitate to show them.

Radja Nainggolan

The Belgian midfielder, who plays for his hometown club Antwerp since 2021, has more than 30 tattoos all over his body. The most famous and noticeable one is a big rose on his neck, appearing on all the big pictures of the Belgian. It must be said that Nainggolan has a special passion for tattoos in the form of flowers. On his left shoulder he has a flower and a green lizard, on the right – a chrysanthemum and several small buds.

On his left arm there is a statue of a golden Buddha, as Nainggolan, though a Christian, believes in the teachings of Buddhism. On his chest, Raja has the inscription One Life One Wish, which symbolizes his passion for the game of soccer. On the back are large wings and the inscription Rest in Peace, the athlete dedicated them to his mother, who passed away in 2010.

Arturo Vidal

The extravagant Chilean likes to decorate his body with tattoos, and many of them have hidden meanings. Arturo has a lot of stars and crosses on his body. On his neck there is an inscription Familia, which expresses his love for his family, and Never Give Up, which speaks about the iron character of the player.

On the back are two wings, which border another cross, and the inscription “Protect Me”, referring to the footballer’s wild way of life – he got into trouble more than once during his career and therefore asks God for prudence.

On his chest is another cross, and on his stomach – a galloping horse (as a child Vidal wanted to become a jockey), the inscription Il campione, which translates as “sample, example”. And also an insulin pump as a sign of support for his son Alonso – the boy has diabetes.

Why is it important for athletes to look bright? Answers psychologist in our material.

Mauro Icardi

Argentine forward who plays for PSG, his, perhaps, the most famous tattoo dedicated to children. In 2017, Mauro tattooed a lion with lion cubs on his entire chest and stomach and wrote the names of his daughters, Francesca and Isabella. He also inked their portraits on his left and right calves.

Mauro Icardi

From religious tattoos – the Virgin Mary with a baby on his right forearm as a symbol of the strongest parental love and the biblical plot of removal from the cross on his right leg. Icardi’s arms bear his name and his wife Wanda’s name.

ممفيس ديباي

The Dutchman has a lot of tattoos. Just imagine, he has a tattoo even on the inside of his lip, and there are about 50 of them in total. Perhaps the most famous one is a lion on his entire back as an indicator of strength of mind and self-confidence. But apart from that, Depay has many life mottos on his body that he tries to follow. One is Dream Chaser on his chest and another is Dream Believe Achieve under his chest.

Memphis dedicated an entire left forearm to pay tribute to his grandfather, who passed away in 2009. There, the Barcelona forward has a long phrase expressing all the love he has for his departed relative. On the back of his head – a cross as a symbol of faith, and under the knee of his left leg – the word Faith (“Faith”). Depay has a separate passion for Ancient Egypt, having stuffed himself with several Egyptian pharaohs, Nefertiti, the goddess Isis and the dark god Anubis.

Ederson

The Brazilian goalkeeper of Manchester City is also an avid fan of tattoos, he has spent a lot of money and time on them. He has tattoos on his body from completely different categories and areas, but the biggest composition is on his back. There, Ederson has an angel in a humble pose, a lion, an eagle and another massive bird flapping its wings.

There are also goalkeeper’s gloves holding the ball, as a reference to the player’s position on the field. There is a rose and a skull around his neck, and the inscription I Belong To Jesus on his chest. The crown of the Brazilian’s tattoo collection is a yellow smiling emoji behind his left ear.

Neymar

The Brazilian winger is very reverent to his family, as evidenced by the portraits on his body. On his right bicep is a portrait of his mom, on his shoulder is a portrait of his sister and on his forearm is a portrait of his son. On his neck is a reminder that nothing lasts forever and movement is life.

On his left hand, who would have thought, there is a lion, but it is not the only animal on his body. There’s also a tiger under his elbow. On the same arm – the famous painting by Albrecht Durer “Praying Hands”. In general, Neymar is quite religious, as evidenced by the numerous crosses and the inscription Blessed (“Blessed”) on his back.

Nevertheless, with another tattoo Life is a joke, the Brazilian reminds that life should be fun, because we live once. Neymar’s right calf is emblazoned with the last Champions League trophy Neymar has won so far, which he won in 2015 with Barcelona.

Nicolas Otamendi

The Argentine, who plays for Portuguese club Benfica, has a number of very interesting tattoos. What’s more, Thomas Shelby from “Sharp Trumps”, Walter White from “Breaking Bad” and Ragnar Lothbrok from “Vikings”. Apparently, Otamendi is a big fan of TV series, since he decided to get such tattoos.

On his left chest, the defender has a growling bear against a forested area, evoking associations with natural strength and anger. On the right – a lion on the background of the savannah. Nicholas is a man of faith, with Jesus on his right hip and the Virgin Mary on his right arm. On his shoulder is stuffed pocket watch as a sign that time is the most valuable resource, which is always in short supply.

You can understand the tattoos of Russian athletes here.