While professional footballers are obligated to wear the uniforms of their teams their individual personalities come through in many ways. Today, tattoos are some of the most visible and rich ways in which players are showing off their unique personalities and individuality. From religious iconography and good luck talismans to the deeply personal and idiosyncratic, footballers are inked up in every way imaginable, for better and worse.
So here goes; a quick selection of what we think are some of the better footballer tattoos in no particular order.
David Beckham
We’ve got to start with David Beckham because he’s the one who, arguably, put the tattoo trend into overdrive. And, there’re a lot of good things to be said about his tattoos. For one thing, he’s successfully balancing a lot of styles and different pieces that, while separate, fit nicely together.
He’s got Sanskrit next to Hebrew next to Latin. Also, Japanese, angels, swallows, roses, and more. Beckham has said that each of his tattoos has a deeply personal meaning and it shows, I bet there isn’t a single tattoo that he’ll regret in five or ten years’ time. Rather, they all come together to tell a story of his life.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic definitely gets a mention here for having some nice ink. Like Beckham, he’s got a wide ranging collection of tattoos, from the ace of hearts playing card on his side to a huge dragon and Japanese koi on his back.
Ibrahimovic also gets bonus points in my book for having his biggest and most intricate tattoos on his back, where they’re hidden for the most part. To me, that’s a sign that he’s getting tattoos because he likes tattoos, not to show the world that he has them.
Tim Howard
Tim Howard’s tattoos have a lot going for them in terms of style, but, I’m including him here as a sort of cautionary example. Tim Howard’s tattoos are technically amazing. If you want portraits, fading, and subtlety like Howard’s keep practicing and get a fat contract, or play US Powerball online for the jackpot.
Seriously, those are the only two ways to afford an artist who won’t leave you with a tattooed portrait that looks like gum stuck to the sidewalk.
Nigel De Jong
Nigel De Jong makes the list, somewhat paradoxically, because he chose one style and stuck to it. De Jong has many incredibly designed and executed traditional tribal tattoos and thankfully he’s stuck with that palette. In general, I’m a huge fan of variety when it comes to style, just look at the above selections.
But, if you’re going to go big with one style, well, that’s it, you’ve got to stick to it, adding another piece in another style would be too jarring and messy.
Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi’s ink checks all the right tattoo boxes for me. First and foremost, it’s fun! Not that there’s anything wrong with deeply meaningful and serious tattoos, but this fella’s got Jordan I’s in three different colorways, so who would you rather have a pint with?
Also, there’s a vibrant colour palette to Materazzi’s tattoos which is a nice break from monochrome and a sign that Materazzi’s having fun and getting tattoos for all the right reasons.
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