For some fans of the beautiful game, meeting their favourite player, getting a picture and autograph on a jersey is a dream come true. For others, their love for a player and team knows no bounds, which might explain why they get something more permanent and intimate: a tattoo.
Few players inspire fan tattoos as much as seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and PSG player Lionel Messi, who was at it again during his visit to Inter Miami’s training base following Argentina’s international friendly against Honduras in Florida.
Francisco Ranieri, a goalkeeper at Inter Miami, had “the best day ever” when the Argentine legend signed the young keeper’s forearm, who then had it permanently tattooed. Ranieri’s caption shows the emotion and love that he has for his compatriot, too: “Leo, you fulfilled a dream and every day I look at my arm I will remember the excitement I felt when I met you. I can’t put into words how great you are!”
Francisco is not alone when it comes to adoring Messi and investing in a life-long, permanent expression of that adoration, though some have gone to crazy lengths to get a Messi signature on their bodies. We chose some of our favourites fan tattoos of the Argentine great.
One super fan, Cristian Solera, traveled from his hometown in San Juan, Argentina and followed the national team all the way to London so he could get Messi to sign his leg tattoo. After waiting outside the hotel where the team was staying and nearly getting kicked out, he was able to meet one of the coaches who helped him achieve his dream.
Solera wrote in his Instagram caption “that maybe for some is just a signature of a footballer, for me and for billions of people he is an example to follow.”
Although Solera’s tattoo is less conspicuous, Brazilian Igor Magalhaes has covered his entire back with the superstar’s iconic goal celebration with a piece of wearable art that took three sessions to complete. The tattoo shows Messi’s famous celebration after scoring a late…
Source : espn
