Roshan Nayak

Julian Alvarez and Nico Paz Are the Odd Ones Out in Tattoo-Crazy Argentina NT

Argentina National Football Team, Football Lifestyle, Julian Alvarez, Nico Paz

Argentine football players have long been known for their flamboyant, flair and elegant way of playing football. From those days of Diego Maradona to the present day of Lionel Messi, they have something in them which makes the fans go crazy all over the globe.

When you think of the best players to play at the global stage from South America, you, for sure, do think of the Argentines like Lionel Messi, Hernan Crespo, Angel Di Maria, Sergio Aguero, Paulo Dybala, Lautaro Martinez, Enzo Fernandez, & many more.

And also, on a broader footballing sense, when you think of Argentina, you think of their performances in the World Cup. Argentina’s World Cup journey had begun at the inaugural tournament in 1930, where they reached the final only to be defeated by the hosts, Uruguay.

Then that sorrow came in the final again in 2014, where they lost 1-0 to Germany in extra time to a Mario Gotze winner. The narrative of World Cup failure began to weigh hard on the team. Then finally came the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Messi, at 35, led a unified, passionate, and resilient Argentine squad to the ultimate glory beating France on penalties in what the game had initially ended as a magnificent 3-3 draw.

But, there is also a different side to these Argentine players.

Except for their footballing skills and prowess, they are also known for their tattoos.

This tattoo debate about Argentine players recently came into limelight when fans spotted Simon Escobar, an U-17 Argentina player at the U-17 World Cup, whose full body was covered with tattoos, leaving fans stunned.

Simon Escobar at the U-17 World Cup

Simon is not the only Argentine player to have such tattoos from top to bottom. Other notable players like Enzo Fernandez, Paulo Dybala, Nicolas Otamendi, Mauro Icardi, etc have such kinds of tattoos too.

All 7 players in this snap from Argentina training have tattoos.

But yes, it came as a surprise because the fans had seen full body tattoos on an U-17 kid. Something that is quite strange to believe, let alone to be seen in reality.

But, as always, there are two sides to a coin.

And, on the flip side, fans started to debate and wonder whether there were any Argentine players with no or very minimal tattoos

The answer was, Yes.

In an era where body ink has been very much normalised in football and in general, the current Como midfielder, Nico Paz and the Atletico Madrid forward, Julian Alvarez seem to be the ones with no or very minimal tattoos from Argentina. This makes them distinct from their other compatriots currently and as well as, possibly, from their club teammates.

Coincidentally, Alvarez recently opened up about not having any tattoos and credited his father for the wisdom – “The other day, in the national team, someone made me notice that I was the only player who didn’t have tattoos. I don’t do it to be different. When I was a kid, my dad told us: No tattoos, no cigarettes, no alcohol. Today, as I have grown up, everyone decides, but I don’t feel the need.”

Ultimately, some of these tattoos are less about football and more about their personal memories like winning a major trophy or making it to the top. But, when the tattoos are seen on an U-17 year old kid, that too a full body tattoo, it makes you wonder that these Argentines are built different from the rest.

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