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      in Soccer

      What do Lionel Messi’s tattoos mean?

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      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.
      Most read in Football
      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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      in Boxing

      Who is Prichard Colon and what happened to him?

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      PRICHARD “Digget” Colon Melendez is a former Puerto Rican boxing WBC World Champion.The impressive boxer was a respected superwelterweight, claiming victory at his opening 16 professional fights and headed for a promising career.
      Prichard Colon exchanged punches with Terrel Williams in the 2015 fight that would sadly leave him with life-changing injuriesCredit: Getty
      Who is Prichard Colon?
      Prichard Colon Melendez was born on September 19, 1992, in Maitland, Florida, but moved to Puerto Rico at the age of 10 to represent the island in competitions.
      He also studied Business Administration at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan.
      The rising star earned the nickname “Digget”, which comes from the word “digger”, due to his 6ft height.
      He is an honorary WBC World Champion and bagged a gold medal in the 64kg category at the 2010 Pan American Youth Championship.

      During his amateur career, Colon won five national championships in both the 141 and 152-pound divisions.
      By the end of his amateur fights, he had a staggering 170-15 record behind him.
      Colon turned professional in 2012 and boxed his way to glory in his first 16 fights, before losing one and drawing another.
      He was known for his fast-paced career, jumping into the ring five times in 2013, and a whopping seven times in 2014.
      Most read in Boxing
      The fight that put him on the map came in 2015 when he went up against more experienced fighter, Vivian Harris.
      Colon knocked Harris out in the fourth round.
      This impressive record set the 31-year-old up for a promising career in the sport.
      What happened to Prichard Colon?
      Just months after his victory against Harris, Colon boxed Terrel Williams.
      The fight had not been scheduled but went ahead due to another boxer, Andre Dirrell, cancelling his fight with Blake Caparello.
      In the ninth round, Colon was hit repeatedly in the back of the head by Williams, which is illegal in the high-risk sport.
      When Colon protested to the referee he was allegedly told: “You take care of it.”
      Shortly afterward, Colon collapsed to the shock of his fans, after leading in the first five rounds.
      He complained about feeling dizzy and nauseous but continued to throw punches after the ringside doctor deemed him fit to go on.
      The young athlete vomited and collapsed in the dressing room afterwards before being rushed to hospital.
      What was Prichard Colon’s diagnosis?
      The boxer was diagnosed with a bleed on the brain, more specifically a left-sided subdural haematoma measuring 1.5cm wide.
      He underwent a complex emergency hemicraniectomy to reduce brain swelling and clear the haematoma.
      Colon remained in a coma for 221 days, but is now awake and slowly recovering.
      In 2021, the World Boxing Council (WBC) released a statement about Colon’s surgery.
      The WBC told Boxing Insider: “In recent weeks it was found a collapse of his skull was pressing on the brain, for which a fragment had to be removed to be replaced by a plate.
      “Fortunately, the operation went well.”
      Who are Prichard Colon’s parents?
      His parents are mom Nieves, a retired waitress, and Richard Colon, a retired serviceman.
      Nieves regularly provides updates on YouTube on the boxer’s progress.
      She recently posted a video celebrating the former boxer’s 31st birthday.
      Colon is seen smiling in response to his cake, and he was also gifted a signed boxing glove from rapper Daddy Yankee.
      Fans reacted to the heartwarming clip by offering up well wishes for his birthday and his recovery.
      In February 2023, the devoted mother posted a video titled “Prichard Colon-Melendez 5K run for the woods” which showed Colon on a trail in a specially adapted mobility chair.
      Another clip showed him standing with support.
      In 2017 the devastated parents filed a lawsuit seeking damages from the ringside doctor and the promoters of the fight for more than $50million.
      In 2021, promoters DiBella Entertainment and Headbangers, Inc, were dismissed from the suit.
      As of April 2023, the lawsuit has not yet been settled.
      Where is Prichard Colon now?
      Colon’s recovery is being handled by specialists at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Orange Park, Florida, reports thenetline.com.
      It is unclear how much the former sportsman will recover but so far he is showing good progress.
      In June 2021 Nieves posted to Facebook updates of her son’s progress and thanked people for their prayers and support.
      She said: “God bless you lots of blessings.”
      Prichard Colon celebrates after defeating Daniel Calzada in a TKO during the Premier Boxing Champions Junior Middleweight bout at Barclays Center on April 11, 2015Credit: Getty
      What did Deontay Wilder say about Prichard Colon?
      Deontay Wilder discussed the dangers of boxing in a press conference in October 2022 after his fight with Robert Helenius.
      The Bronze Bomber broke down and cried when discussing Colon at his post-fight presser.
      The boxer had just won the fight in New York with a first-round KO of Helenius.
      Talk Sport reported he said: “Look at Colon, Prichard Colon.
      “This man didn’t have no kids – –
      “Y’all don’t f****** understand what we go through man.
      “And I don’t even know him like that, but I’ll always be an advocate for us.
      “This man will never know what it feels like to be somebody’s father and that’s the most precious thing in the world to be somebody’s father.
      “But he’ll never be nobody’s father man.
      “This man will never have a natural living again because he got in the ring to support his family.
      “Now his family have gotta take care of him for the rest of his life.”
      This comes as Tyson Fury has taken credit for Deontay Wilder’s emotional post-fight speech after beating Robert Helenius.
      Fury, who drew and twice knocked out Wilder, reacted by suggesting he was the one who humbled his heavyweight rival.
      He told True Geordie: “Maybe I knocked a bit of sense into him and maybe he’s been humbled from the three beatings I gave the sucker.
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      “He’s a former knockout victim of the Gypsy King.”
      Meanwhile, Dillian Whyte slammed Wilder and accused him of fake crying after his fight with Helenius. More