FOOTBALLERS just love their tattoos – and some have a lot more meaning than others.
Some of the body art inked on to the biggest names in the sport have some very moving stories behind them.
We highlight ten of the most emotional tattoo tributes – starting with one everyone that got everyone talking:
RAHEEM STERLING
Manchester City star Raheem Sterling came in for criticism after revealing his new tattoo of a gun.
Sterling’s body work on his right leg was shown off as he trained with the England squad ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
Sterling would later explain the deep-meaning behind the ink on Instagram.
He wrote: “When I was two my father died from being gunned down to death.
“I made a promise to myself I would never touch a gun in my lifetime.
“I shoot with my right foot so it has a deeper meaning.”
SERGIO RAMOS
The Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos is covered with tattoos, including some amazing numbers on his fingers.
The most moving tattoos have ‘The spirit of those dead lies in the memory of those alive’ inked in two parts on his right and left biceps.
It is a mark of respect for the victims of the terror attacks on New York on 9/11 2001 and Madrid on 3/11 in 2004.
Ramos, 31, also has a large Star of David on his left arm in memory of his close friend and former team-mate Antonio Puerta, who died aged just 22.
Puerta, a Spanish international, collapsed and later died while playing for Sevilla against Getafe in August 2007.
ANTHONY KNOCKAERT
The Brighton striker Anthony Knockaert has a tattoo of his late father Patrick.
His dad – who worked as a truck driver but made the time to drive him to youth football games – died last November, aged 63, and French star Patrick wanted to honour his memory in ink on his chest.
Local tattooist Daniel Gulliver, who has worked on several Brighton players, created the image of his dad smiling and smoking a cigar.
Knockaert said: “It’s all credit to my dad because he did everything for me and I’m here today because of him.
“He always believed in me and he was sure I would be playing in the Premier League.”
ARTURO VIDAL
Bayern star Vidal has plenty of tattoos on his skin – including one of his skin tearing away to reveal a Spiderman outfit – but the most bizarre is that of an insulin pump.
He had the work done last year on the right side of his six-pack after his son Alonso, now aged eight, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
Relax!!!
pic.twitter.com/DieYthQfdo
— Arturo Vidal (@kingarturo23) July 14, 2017
Vidal also posted a photo of the needlework along with a message for Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, calling for children to have better accessibility to diabetes-related healthcare.
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MAURO ICARDI
The Argentine striker showed off a striking new tattoo of a lion’s head, incorporating his daughter’s names Francesca and Isabella.
However a tattoo he had done three years ago is even more moving, as it incorporates the three children his wife Mauro has with her ex-hubby Maxi Lopez.
The tattoo names the three children Valentino, Constantino and Benedicto, and reads: ‘I love these three little angels’.
Icardi and Lopez were team-mates at Sampdoria when they fell out over the stunning Wanda.
HARRY ARTER
Bournemouth star Harry Arter and his partner Rachel Irwin suffered a heartbreaking stillbirth in December 2015.
Their daughter Renee was stillborn and Arter, 27, has a tribute tattoo dedicated to her on the inside of his right forearm.
It contains the inspirational words ‘Setbacks pave the way for comebacks’.
In February this year the couple welcomed the arrival of a baby girl named Raine.
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ROBERTO FIRMINO
The tattoos on Firmino’s body are all about love.
He has pictures of both his mother and father on his right arm, and a message in German on his back that translates as ‘Unremitting love for the family’.
Also on his right arm he has a red rose for love, a four-leaf clover as a sign of luck, a peace symbol on his forearm and the year 1991 on his knuckles – representing the year he was born.
The word love is tattooed on the knuckles of his left hand and the name of his daughter Valentina on his chest beside the words ‘God is faithful’ in Greek.
GABRIEL JESUS
Man City’s Brazilian striker has a startling tattoo that documents his rise from the favelas of Sao Paulo.
But the most heart-warming one is of his beloved mum Vera on his arm.
Strict Vera, who raised her four children alone in a poor district of Sao Paulo, controls almost every aspect of her famous son’s life, from the food he eats to where he goes out, and even the girls he meets.
And he celebrates every goal with his trademark phone celebration in honour of Vera.
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC
The Swedish superstar is covered in inkings but in 2015 he went one stage further and had 50 names of starving people added as temporary tattoos to highlight world hunger.
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He whipped off his shirt after scoring for PSG against Caen to reveal names like Carmen, Mariko, Antoine, Lida and Rahma to show his support for the United Nations World Food Programme.
He said afterwards: “There are names no one cares to remember.”
The referee didn’t appreciate the gesture however and booked him.
MAURICIO PINILLA
Chilean striker Mauricio Pinilla so nearly became a national hero at the 2014 World Cup.
Chile were drawing 1-1 with hosts Brazil in the final minute of extra time when substitute Pinilla blasted a powerful shot against the home team’s crossbar.
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The goal would have put Chile through, but minutes later they went out in the penalty shoot-out.
Former Hearts star Pinilla however decided to commemorate the near-miss by having a tatt of a ball smashing through the crossbar with the worlds ‘One centimetre from glory’ inked on to his back.
Tattooist Marlon Parra said: “What he wanted to do was leave a record of the suffering he’s going through.”
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