E-Paper
Modern footballers make a statement with body art
LONDON: Ricardo Quaresma’s eyecatching teardrop tattoo may be coated with real tears come the final whistle of the Euro 2016 final on Sunday but it could do wonders
LONDON: Ricardo Quaresma’s eyecatching teardrop tattoo may be coated with real tears come the final whistle of the Euro 2016 final on Sunday but it could do wonders for the burgeoning body art business.
The Portuguese star has never explained why he has two drops under his right eye — a tattoo which in gangland culture can mean someone has been killed.
But he is not alone at Euro 2016 in covering himself in art, often very personal statements.
Playing against Quaresma, France striker Olivier Giroud has a biblical quote, “The Lord is My Shepherd I Shall Not Want”, written in Latin on his left shoulder.
GRIEZMANN’S ‘FAME’
Hotshot goalscorer Antoine Griezmann has an etching of Jesus Christ on his right shoulder. He also has the letters FAME inscribed, but no one knows whether Griezmann means this as initials or as a declaration. Other Euro 2016 stars prefer more tribal, especially Maori designs, while some tattoos indicate a player’s personality. Swedish ace Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a red dragon next to some playing cards and the slogan: “Only God can judge me.”
When English icon David Beckham started getting tattoos it helped set off a global football trend.
England striker Jamie Vardy celebrated winning the Premier League title this year by spending seven hours at a tattoo parlour.
Scott MacLaren, proprietor of the Fulham Tattoo and Body Piercing centre in London, said the tattoo has become ever more high prominent because of famous footballers.
MacLaren numbers England international Nathaniel Clyne among his star clients.
“10 years ago you wouldn’t have seen many, if any, footballers with tattoos but now on the pitch it is often the case you see up to three players with tattoos,” he said.
Footballers, though, he added are conservative with regard to the subject matter and what parts of the body sport are covered.
