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    What do Lionel Messi’s tattoos mean?

    LIONEL Messi is widely considered to be the greatest footballer of all time.But how many tattoos does the player from Argentina have and what do they mean?
    Argentina’s Lionel Messi leaves the field after defeating Chile 2-1 in 2018Credit: AFP
    What do Lionel Messi’s tattoos mean?
    Lionel Messi has a lot of body art — but what are the meanings behind the portraits, symbols and emblems that decorate his skin?
    The first inking the Inter Miami captain ever got was a portrait of his mother, Celia Cuccittini, on the back of his left shoulder to show his love and respect for her.
    She runs the Leo Messi Foundation, the charity the footballer set up to aid youngsters in need.
    After seeing the image of Celia, comedian Noel Fielding joked that the soccer ace had a tattoo of his face on his back.
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    On November 2, 2012 — the date he became a father for the first time — Messi had his newborn son Thiago’s hands inked onto the back of his leg.
    Leo added Thiago’s name in a heart in between Thiago’s thumbs because a lot of people thought the tat signified Diego Maradona’s hand of god goal.
    He also got the name of his second son, Mateo, put onto his left arm on September 11, 2015.
    Messi got a picture of a football etched onto just below the knee of his left leg, which signifies his passion for the sport.
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    To honour his religious convictions, the World Cup winner got branded with an image of Jesus Christ with a crown of thorns on his right arm.
    Lionel got a tattoo of a lotus on his his bicep to symbolise his rags-to-riches story, from a humble boy born in the Argentinian City of Rosario to becoming a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
    According to his tattooist Roberto Lopez: “The lotus symbolises that talent can grow anywhere even with forces stopping it.”
    The artwork on the striker’s right elbow of a rose window is inspired by the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
    “The rose window of the famous Barcelona church Sagrada Familia shows the love he has for the city,” said Lopez.
    Along with his wife Antonella Roccuzzo, the GOAT has a picture of a crown on his right arm, with the his-and-hers royal headwear representing the couple’s love for one another.
    Messi also has a tattoo of his wife’s eye on his right bicep.
    To signify the importance of time, he has a tat of a giant clock covering his right forearm — the illustration includes a number of timepiece cogs.
    On the sleeve of his right arm Lionel has a rosary — a string of beads — which, according to his tattoo artist Roberto Lopez, is supposed to convey the journey of his life.
    While playing for both Argentina and Barcelona, Messi’s shirt number was 10, which he has tattooed on his left shin.
    La Plulga — Spanish for little flea, one of his many nicknames — has the birthdates of his three sons and his wife inked onto his left leg.
    Messi has his wife’s lips applied to his left hip, just above his groin.
    He also reportedly has tattoos of South America and Europe somewhere on his right arm, although it is not easy to spot them from photos.
    How many tattoos does Lionel Messi have?
    According to most reports, Messi has 18 tattoos.
    His leg was previously decorated with a sword with wings and flower patterns, but in a strange twist they are now covered up, so it is impossible to know how many he’s had in total.
    Also, there may be some tats in areas where cameras are not welcome.
    When did Lionel Messi get his first tattoo?
    Leo got his first tattoo back in 2011.
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    It is on his the back of his left shoulder.
    The artwork is a portrait of his mother, Celia María Cuccittini. More

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    World’s worst football fan tattoos from chubby Messi to cheeky ‘Arse-nal’ inking and VERY over-the-top Man Utd tributes

    MANY die-hard football fans who wanted tattoos of their favourite team or player inked onto their skin soon came to regret their hasty decisions.Whether that be a club badge, trophy or even a player’s face, many people have seen their tattoos go horribly wrong.
    Some football fans have gone to extreme lengths when getting tattoos of their favourite clubs and playersCredit: Imgur
    Below are some of the worst football fan tattoos to ever grace the internet.
    Chubby Messi
    A fan had Lionel Messi holding the World Cup inked on his back but the Argentine star’s face is slightly out of proportion
    After Argentina’ won the 2022 FIFA World Cup last year, one fan went to the extreme length of getting Lionel Messi lifting the trophy tattooed across his back.
    However, Messi’s face appears to be extremely bloated and he’s been made to look overweight, with one person describing the tattoo as “a combo of Messi and Rooney.”
    Arse-nal
    An Arsenal fan chose to show his love for the club in an unusual wayCredit: Mike Hewitt / Getty Images
    It’s not often you’d see this kind of tattoo but one Arsenal fan wanted to show his love for the club by getting their name inked on his backside.
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    On one side is “nal” and on the other is “FC”. It doesn’t take long to figure out where the “Arse” part is, as this person’s attempt at humour certainly backfired.
    Andy Cole nightmare
    This unfortunate man saw Andy Cole leave Newcastle just two days after he got this tattoo of himCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    One Newcastle fan opted to get a tattoo of former striker Andy Cole on his thigh – two days before he signed for Manchester United.
    To add further insult to injury, the picture of him in his underwear was plastered across all of the front pages once news broke of his disaster.
    Eeverton
    This Everton fan had a nightmare after their tattooist spell the club’s name wrongCredit: Imgur
    A very common mistake with the majority of tattoo disasters is spelling mistakes and this unfortunate Everton fan was the latest to be added to that list.
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    You’d think getting a tattoo of the word “Everton” would be quite simply but not for a certain artist, who put a second “e” in the word and made a complete mess of their work.
    The walking tattoo
    This man decided to get some of the most extreme football tattoos on his face
    This man has taken things to an extreme level when it comes to loving your football club and loving tattoos.
    This Leeds United and England fan has covered almost every part of his face in ink with flags and colours of the team and country he loves.
    Bleeding green and white
    This Colombian fan can now wear his club’s colours for the rest of his lifeCredit: Imgur
    A fan of Colombian side Atletico Nacional has dreamed of wearing his club’s famous colours so much that he got them tattooed onto his body.
    This crazy football fan acted out his fantasy by getting Atletico’s shirt of green and white stripes permanently inked on his skin, on his back and front.
    Man United disaster
    Just one of many Manchester United tattoos that have gone wrongCredit: Twitter: @TrollFootball
    Probably one of the worst tattoo’s you’ll ever see. It looks like it was drawn on with marker pen rather than inked on by a professional.
    Nonetheless, this person has a huge Man United badge etched onto their back, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s name written beneath. The whole thing looks like it was drawn by a child.
    Another Man United disaster
    Potentially the only Manchester United and Liverpool tattooCredit: Facebook
    This tattoo of United’s badge is actually much better than the previous one and of a much smaller size too.
    However, it is placed between the words “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, the song adopted by Liverpool – one of United’s biggest rivals.
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    Tottenham Till I Die
    This Tottenham fan went to extreme lengths to show his love for the clubCredit: Getty
    Another case of ink on the head, this die-hard Spurs fan has let everybody know who he supports by getting “Tottenham Till I Die” on the back of his head.
    There are also two huge club badges either side of the writing, meaning you simply cannot miss this man and his tattoo when at a game. More

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    I was a drug addict – now I’m a tattoo artist and charge celebs £3,000 per inking…how I turned my life around

    A DRUG addict who turned his life around now makes up to £3,000 per inking from celebrity clients – here’s how he did it.Dan Rossetter, from Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex had delved so deeply into the crippling world of addiction, he knew he’d end up dead or in prison if he didn’t stop.
    The 40-year-old travels up to 600 miles away to tattoo celebrity clientsCredit: mediadrumimages
    At the age of 30 he had reached a breaking point after dealing with years of painful trauma from being sexually abused throughout his childhood.
    Battling with PTSD, Dan soon lost his job as a BOC gasman – but tried to find some sense of justice in 2013.
    He bravely spoke out about what had been done to him from the age of six to 11, and three years later the survivor saw his abuser sentenced to 13 years in jail.
    However, this did not put an end to Dan’s addiction, and by March 2019 he knew it would either kill him or land him in prison.

    Dan, 40, who now lives in London, told MediaDrumWorld: “My addiction was getting worse, I got to the point where my mental health was deteriorating rapidly and I was feeling very suicidal.
    “With a lot of hard work and help from some very good lifestyle coaches I managed to get myself clean and sober and then my obsession became work and being the best version of myself.”
    Now four years sober, Dan travels to tattoo pro-footballer clients who live up to 600 miles away, and has amassed nearly 200,000 TikTok followers.
    “I’ve tattooed the most footballers out of any other tattoo artist in the world; I’ve documented a lot of this on TikTok which then blew up so my demand for general public clients has also increased massively,” Dan explained.
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    “I have clients travelling from all over the UK and also from abroad.
    “Recently I flew over to Spain to tattoo Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard, he wanted a scroll with his five kids’ names in it.”
    The TikTok sensation recounted his biggest work of art was for Chelsea Football Club’s Victor Moses.
    It took the talented artist more than eight hours to complete the black and grey tiger back tattoo.
    HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
    Dan is not new to the industry and kick started his career back in 2010.
    He opened a studio in Gatwick but struggled to manage the business for five years, amid his declining mental health.
    “We made the decision to close the doors in 2015 I partnered up with my business partner Ahmed Alsanawi, AKA A Star Barber,” the tattoo artist said.
    “He is one of the biggest barbers in the world for haircuts for celebrities.
    “I have now been in the game for the last 13 years so I’ve gained a lot of snowball effect returning clients that had kept me busy over the years but what I am most recognised for is tattooing professional footballers.”
    He said clients can fork out anything ranging from £700 to £3,000 depending on the session.
    In his bid to stay at the top of his game, the dedicated artist puts in 12-hour shifts busy days.
    ‘SACRIFICES’
    Despite Dan’s gratitude for the success and fortune he’s found in his dream career – it does come at a cost.
    Being on the road and heavy shift hours has seen the TikTok star “burning out mentally and physically” at times.
    Although he has come a long way since turning his life around in 2019, Dan admitted he does still “struggle” to manage the “demanding” business.
    “Also my neck and back has taken a big hit which to this day still causes me a lot of problems,” he added.
    I’ve tattooed the most footballers out of any other tattoo artist in the world.”Dan Rossetta
    However, none of this keeps Dan away from his studio.
    He said: “But I get to have fun at work too, I have a great memory of when I let four Chelsea players tattoo random things on my leg from a emoji poop to a disabled badge, also the Adidas logo is on there.
    “It was a funny afternoon.”
    KEY TO SUCCESS
    After a difficult start to his career journey, Dan wants to educate other people who want to join him.
    One piece of golden advice he offered was to find ways of expanding your portfolio.
    He said: “Create yourself a portfolio of your artwork and keep knocking at the doors of local studios.
    “Become a pest and keep asking until you get an opportunity.”
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    The 40-year-old reminded young artists to stay “relentless” despite it being such a hard industry to break into.
    “If you want it enough you will get your opportunity,” said Dan.
    Dan worked as a BOC gasman before falling into addiction and struggle with his mental healthCredit: mediadrumimages
    He is now four years sober and working in the top circles within the industryCredit: mediadrumimages
    The tattoo artist pictures with Arsenal’s Emile Smith RoweCredit: mediadrumimages More

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    I’m a Luton fan who got my head tattooed for a heartwarming reason – I’ll go even more extreme if we win the league

    A LUTON TOWN superfan has fulfilled a promise to his late dad following the club’s promotion to the Premier League.The Hatters were promoted to England’s top flight for the first time in their history after a penalty shootout win against Coventry in the Championship play-off final in May.
    Micky Hyde got a Luton Town tattoo on the back of his headCredit: SWNS
    He got it following the club’s promotion to the Premier LeagueCredit: SWNS
    Micky’s father Terry died aged 49Credit: SWNS
    He promised his dad [in the hat] to get the tattoo when he was just 16Credit: SWNS
    Mike Hyde, 37, has been a fan of the club since his childhood and would to the pub to watch the matches with his father, Terry.
    During one trip to the local pub in 2002, Micky told his dad that he would get the club’s badge “tattooed on his head” when they make it to the Premier League.
    To which his father claimed that he did not think it would happen in his lifetime.
    Micky told Luton Today: “He [Terry] died 10 years later at 49 from sudden death syndrome [SADS] and since then we’ve just been climbing and now we’re here.
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    “I just knew we were going to get to the Prem in my lifetime and that’s the tattoo I wanted to get in memory of my dad.
    “The day after the open-top bus parade, I brought a job forward doing a patio at a woman’s house and she told me she was a tattooist.”
    After learning that the woman would be able to do the tattoo, he said he could hear his dad’s voice in his head urging him to get the ink job.
    Trudi Woodward, the tattoo artist, agreed to ink his head with the Luton badge.
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    Luton Town beat Coventry in the Championship play-off finalCredit: Getty
    Micky and fiance Lisa-Marie White are due to get married in AugustCredit: SWNS
    She told the BBC that she did try “putting him of having it done on his head” but insisted that he “took it like a champ”.
    The Hatters’ tattoo took two hours to ink onto the back of Micky’s head, but he insisted that this one was the most painful.
    However, he was able to get through the pain as he claimed he had his “dad in his head smiling down”.
    Micky’s dad was a football coach for 30 years in Luton and also worked as a steward at the club’s ground, Kenilworth Road.
    However Lisa does not want any pictures of the back of Micky’s head from the dayCredit: SWNS
    Micky, who has five children, is due to get married to partner Lisa-Marie White in August and she “didn’t fall out” with him as she understands why he got the tattoo.
    However, she has insisted that no photos are taken of them from behind during the wedding day.
    Luton’s rise to the Premier League has been remarkable considering only ten years ago they were in the National League.
    And Micky is confident that the club will continue to grow and improve as he promises to get another tattoo every time they “do something good”.
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    He added: “I’ve already told my fiancee that I’m getting LTFC tattooed on my forehead if we win the Prem this year.
    “In my lifetime if they do win the Prem in the future I will get another tattoo but I’m not too sure it’ll be on my forehead.” More

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    Whindersson Nunes slammed for ‘next level disrespect’ over fight tattoo – but YouTube boxer snaps back

    SOCIAL media sensation Whindersson has been slammed for seemingly getting a victory tattoo – weeks BEFORE his return to the ring.The Brazilian comedian is set to throw down with King Kenny in the semi-finals of Kingpyn’s boxing tournament in July.
    Whindersson will take on fellow social media star King Kenny later this yearCredit: KINGPUN
    The Brazilian seemingly got a premature victory tattoo with the date of the fightCredit: INSTAGRAM@WHINDERSSONNUNES
    His followers were quick to comment on his new inkCredit: TWITTER
    Whindersson booked passage to the semis with a second-round knockout of Polish rapper Filipek in April.
    The 28-year-old celebrated that win with a tattoo of a pair of boxing gloves with the date of the brutal body shot stoppage below it.
    But he’s now gone a step further by getting another tattoo but with the date of his upcoming clash with Kenny.
    Fans of the influencer fight scene were quick to comment, with one saying: “Menace activities.”
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    Another said: “Just for that I hope Kenny wins.”
    And another said: “Considering how many times that date has changed, probably not the best idea.”
    One remarked: “Imagine the date changes.”
    Another chimed in: “Idk man no trim Kenny is dangerous.”
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    One said: “Next level of disrespect and confidence finna humble Kenny for good.”
    It didn’t take long for Whindersson to get wind of the tweets, which he responded to with a blistering rant.
    He said: “Gr****s love to make everything about them lol.
    “I got tattoos about my team getting back together in another country to fight, they think I’m announcing a victory.
    “Then they start making videos, content, swearing that the world revolves around them. Pathetic”
    He added: “They still act as if they were professional boxers, as if each one had 10 belts kkkkkk.
    “You need to see the backstage, they arrive with security guards, with a frown, as if they held several titles.
    “We laughed a lot about this kkkkkk.”
    Whindersson stopped Polish rapper Filipek in his last outing in AprilCredit: KINGPYN More

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    Tyson Fury beams as he meets die-hard fan who has huge tattoo of Gypsy King on his back

    TYSON FURY beamed as he met a die-hard fan who has a huge tattoo of the Gypsy King on his back. The WBC heavyweight champion is currently in Australia, supporting training partner and friend Joseph Parker.
    Tyson Fury meets a fan with a tattoo of himCredit: Instagram @tysonfury
    Tyson Fury celebrating his win over Deontay Wilder in 2020Credit: Reuters
    Fury was met with much fanfare on arrival Down Under and even bumped into a super-supporter so loyal he’s had the heavyweight icon inked on him.
    The British superstar grinned and pointed to the fans’ tattoo, which portrays Fury celebrating his 2020 win over Deontay Wilder.
    Parker, 31, faces Faiga Opel, 29, in Melbourne tomorrow night and will have the backing of Fury, who made the near 11,000 mile trip over.
    And his arrival brought the shock revelation that he could be in line to fight Aussie heavyweight Demsey McKean.
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    McKean’s manager Angelo Di Carlo told The Herald Sun: “Chats began some time ago for Demsey to fight Tyson Fury in Australia and I think Demsey is the best option for the Gypsy King.
    “We’re certainly keen to do the fight. We’ve had a good association with Matchroom and we have great respect for Eddie Hearn, but I’ll have more talks with Fury’s camp and see where that takes us.
    “If Tyson Fury wants to fight in Australia, the logical option is to fight an Aussie fighter and talking to Fury’s people, they don’t want to fight a small heavyweight.
    “We’ve been given a possible date to fight Fury in August, so hopefully we can make it happen.”
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    McKean, 32, is signed to Hearn’s Matchroom banner and is currently 22-0 with 14 knockouts.
    And he was hired as Anthony Joshua’s sparring before before the Brit’s loss to Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021.
    McKean was also considered as an opponent for Joshua this year before Jermaine Franklin was ultimately selected.
    But the Aussie could get his shot at the big time against Fury, who has not returned since beating Derek Chisora in December.
    He was in talks for the heavyweight division’s first four-belt undisputed decider against Usyk this year.
    But the deal broke down amid a row over the potential split for a rematch between the two.
    So Fury, 34, was looking to come back in the summer at Wembley but found very little available opponents available.
    It led the two-time unbeaten champion to name Australia as a potential host for his very next bout.
    Fury said: “I’m definitely keen, it may even be my next fight, over here. I just haven’t got an opponent yet, so we’re going to figure it out.
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    “Over the next few days we’re going to be travelling around to a few different states and looking at some potential venues for my next fight.
    “Australians are always crazy boxing fans, so it would be great to get the Gypsy King Down Under.”
    Tyson Fury is Australia in support of Joseph ParkerCredit: Getty More

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    Micah Richards stunned by Richarlison’s ‘weird’ back tattoo, saying: ‘It’s a bit ridiculous, isn’t it’

    RICHARLISON has left Micah Richards stunned with his “weird” back tattoo. The Tottenham forward celebrated his first league goal of the season in the dramatic 4-3 encounter between Liverpool and Spurs at Anfield on Sunday.
    The inkwork features Richarlison flanked by Brazil legends Ronaldo and NeymarCredit: https://www.instagram.com/dom.tattoo/
    Richarlison showed off his tattoo after scoring for Tottenham against LiverpoolCredit: https://twitter.com/AndyHa_/status/1652730761747869696
    Micah Richards has claimed Richarlison’s tattoo is ‘weird’Credit: Getty
    After believing he had rescued a point for Spurs, the 25-year-old took off his shirt and showed off his back tattoo while celebrating.
    The inkwork, which the Brazilian had done in December, features Brazil legend Ronaldo, Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar and himself.
    However, former Manchester City star Richards was left baffled by it.
    He told BBC 5 Live’s The Monday Night Club: “It’s a bit ridiculous that isn’t it?
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    “I mean R9 (Ronaldo) a legend of the game. Neymar has done very well for himself but why would you get him tattooed?
    “Neymar is an outstanding player but it’s weird, he’s still playing. 
    “I mean if it was like people who have retired I would get it, but Neymar’s his team-mate.”
    And Richards did not stop there, claiming: “It’s like me getting a tattoo of Daniel Sturridge.
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    “I mean I like him, I love him, he’s a quality player but I’m not going to get a tattoo of him.”
    Speaking to GQ Sports about the tattoo in February, Richarlison explained: “Ronaldo was my hero when I first started football.
    “Neymar is of my generation, but a few years ahead of me. I wanted to play like him and have the same hair.
    “And then I added myself, because I’m inspired by myself too.” More

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    Duncan Ferguson vows to get a tattoo if he’s still at vegan football club Forest Green in five years

    DUNCAN FERGUSON has vowed to get a Forest Green tattoo – if he’s still there in five years’ time.At the moment, that doesn’t appear all that likely.
    Duncan Ferguson is currently managing League One strugglers Forest GreenCredit: PA
    Having taken charge of the struggling League One side in January, he’s tasted victory just once in 11 games.
    That win, at home to Sheffield Wednesday, came after a nine-match winless start at the world’s first vegan football club.
    Despite the horror run, Ferguson is still looking to the future and having penned a long-term contract, he says if he’s still there at the end of it he’ll mark the achievement permanently.
    Speaking to the Telegraph, he said: “I’ve signed a five-year contract and we’re hoping to build the club, take it up as far as we can.
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    “So maybe then, if I’m still here five years from now, I’ll get a Forest Green tattoo.”
    It wouldn’t be his first inking if he does.
    Ferguson is most associated with Everton, and has their emblem on his left arm.
    Asked if he had any regrets about it he said: “Not at all. I’m an Evertonian. I love the club, I love the people.”
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    The Scot had two spells with the Toffees as a player, initially joining from Rangers in 1994 before retiring in 2006.
    Since then he’s worked as their first-team coach, assisting David Moyes, Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez.
    He came close to the top job at Goodison Park before Frank Lampard was appointed.
    In the end, Forest Green ended up being his first full-time managerial position.
    And he could have a full-time reminder of the job on his body if he sticks around. More