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Soccer players today are practically inseparable from tattoos.
Where once even a small piece of body ink might have earned a player a reputation as a rebel or troublemaker, tattoos have since become woven into the fabric of the sport. Nowadays, it's unusual to find a player without at least one—and plenty are inked from head to toe.
Yet while tattoos are now commonplace, certain players manage to stand apart from the crowd.
Their ink doesn't simply fade into the background (no offense to the countless clock, rose and lion sleeves out there), but instead becomes a defining element of who they are—whether through bold visuals, one-of-a-kind designs or deeply personal significance.
Here, Sports Illustrated explores some of the most iconic tattoos in the history of soccer.
Lionel Messi's Blacked Out Leg
Lionel Messi boasts an impressive tattoo collection, including an intricate sleeve on his right arm featuring a powerful depiction of Jesus Christ adorned with a crown of thorns, alongside a rose window and vivid floral motifs. Even so, none are more recognizable than the tattoos covering his left leg.
Dominated by a sweeping block of black ink—used to conceal earlier designs such as a sword, angel wings and a red rose—the leg now showcases only his most treasured tattoos.
These include the handprints of his eldest son, Thiago, along with his name; the number 10, a nod to the jersey he has worn for both club and country; and a soccer ball positioned above the FC Barcelona crest etched into his shin.
Memphis Depay's Lion
Memphis Depay is nearly head-to-toe in body art, but the crown jewel of his collection is the enormous lion that covers his entire back.
Executed with extraordinary detail, the tattoo is as visually powerful as it is personally meaningful. For Depay, it reflects his upbringing and the hardships he endured in his early years.
"I've always had a feeling that I've been brought up in the jungle. I was always outside, I've been to rough areas and I've been through rough times," he once said. "The lion on my back represents me—I have the heart of a lion."
Radja Nainggolan's Neck Tattoo
Radja Nainggolan was the type of player who unsettled opponents—not only through his aggressive, no-nonsense style of play, but also his imposing appearance, complete with a mohawk, eyebrow slits and extensive body art.
The centerpiece of "The Ninja's" ink was his neck tattoo—a rarity among players at the time. A large rose with green leaves stretched across his neck, rounding out his fierce and unmistakable image.
Daniele De Rossi's Warning Sign
Another hard-tackling midfielder, Daniele De Rossi effectively put his combative playing style on display with a clever—and tongue-in-cheek—tattoo: a "tackle hazard" warning sign inked on the back of his right calf.
David Beckham's Crucifix
David Beckham was a trendsetter both on and off the field, particularly when it came to shaping popular culture—tattoos very much included.
Now extensively covered in ink, one of his earliest pieces was a winged crucifix across the upper portion of his back, later joined by the name of his son, Romeo. In many respects, it helped ignite the trend of soccer players adopting tattoos as a core part of their personal identity.
Andre Gray's Black Excellence Mural
Andre Gray's back tattoos rank among the most distinctive and meaningful in the sport.
The former Premier League forward carries a breathtaking mural across his entire back, featuring portraits of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, the Black Panthers and other trailblazing Black figures from world history.
Sergio Ramos's Head Tattoos
Few players in soccer have embraced body art quite as fully as Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos, but it's his head tattoos that truly capture attention.
On the left side of his head, just above his ear, he has the number 93 tattooed as a tribute to his legendary 93rd-minute equalizer for Real Madrid in the 2014 Champions League final against Atlético Madrid. On the right side, he carries the number 15 in memory of his late friend and former Sevilla teammate, Antonio Puerta, who tragically died in 2007 at just 22 years old and wore that number for Spain.
Ramos also sports a feather motif, while the back of his head displays a medieval-style shield—commonly known as the "Ramos Shield." The design incorporates the initials of his parents, J.M. (José María) and P.G. (Paqui García), along with the family name "Ramos," all watched over by a knight.
Christian Pulisic's Tiger Tattoo
Christian Pulisic's tiger tattoo serves as the focal point of his iconic left-arm sleeve and has evolved into a signature element of his goal celebrations.
After finding the net, the USMNT star frequently lifts his arm so the tiger's eyes line up with his own, producing a striking visual that has since been immortalized in the EA Sports FC video game franchise.
Richarlison's Pigeon
Brazilian forward Richarlison sports a standout neck tattoo: a large pigeon with wings spread wide, paying homage to his trademark "Pombo Dance" goal celebration, in which he mimics the movements of a pigeon.
The design sits above an older, equally memorable—and lighthearted—tattoo inspired by a fan chant, which simply reads: "He's Brazilian."