BERLIN - FIFA directives to
keep their shirt on after scoring might keep many of them under wraps, but the
World Cup brings together a swathe of players who don't mind getting the needle
- for the sake of sporting a tattoo.
The beneedled skin of England skipper David Beckham is well documented but he
is far from alone among the 735 players taking part at the event.
Drawings, messages of undying love, childrens' names cover arms, backs, legs
and necks, as well as other assorted regions.
Beckham famously has the names of sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz as well as
that of his wife, Victoria - in Hindi - on his forearm, though some linguistic
experts say it contains inaccuracies.
Under Victoria's name - "it would look tacky if I had Victoria just in
English," Beckham says - is the Latin phrase At Amem et Foveam, meaning that
which I love and adore.
On one arm he also has his England number seven in Roman numerals - he wore
the same number shirt at Manchester United but has worn 23 at Real Madrid - and
a number of other additions including a winged guardian angel across the back of
his neck and a Michelangelo angel on his right arm.
"My dad had three tattoos of his own and so the idea has been with me since I
was a kid," the player once explained, commissioning specialist Louis Malloy to
do each one.
Luis Gonzalez of Argentina comes close to rivalling 'Becks' as he has ten
tattoos of his own, including the signature of Diego Maradona and also the name
of his wife Pamela in Chinese. Others include the initials of his family, a rose
on his left leg and a depiction of Jesus on his right.
Another Argentine, Fabrizio Coloccini, has a tattoo depicting his deceased
mother on his chest at heart level.
Spanish defender Sergio Ramos has the names of his parents on his forearm
while Spain striker Fernando Torres, in a possible bid to emulate Beckham, has
an Indian inscription on one arm.
Italy are also in on the act with "Roman" Francesco Totti having a gladiator
tattoo.
Brazil take a religious approach with Adriano opting for a forearm slogan
"Jesus lives with me" while Serbian star Mateja Kezman has an image of Christ on
his right arm.
And England striker Wayne Rooney has a Celtic cross on his right arm.
On his back the same player has the word "then" as he and a friend had a
catchphrase, "okay then."
The friend now sports the "okay."
