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Buenos Aires (AFP) – Since the coronation of their national football team in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Argentines have embraced a new fashion, represented by tattooing their bodies with the image of “Albiceleste” star Lionel Messi kissing the precious cup in an image that has become a symbol in the country.
“For the next two weeks, I only have appointments for tattoos related to the World Cup. Some had already made an appointment to get tattoos of snakes or skulls, but they changed their decision and replaced it with a picture of Messi or the trophy,” tattoo artist Esteban Vucinovic, nicknamed “Tippy Cobra,” told AFP. .
“The World Cup is the most demanded, followed by, of course, Messi, but also goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who was decisive in the final against France (3-3 at the end of normal time, then 4-2 on penalties),” he added.
These fans are also inspired by some of the Argentine players who won the world championship recently, such as Angel Di Maria, who recently got a tattoo of the World Cup on his right leg.
Di Maria wrote on his Instagram account, “On the skin forever. Thank you very much, my friend. You said it when we won the Copa America (in 2020). I saved the other foot for the occasion. It was written. Forward Argentina!”
“I got a Messi tattoo as a token of thanks,” employee Nicholas Reshanik told AFP. He added, “It (the tattoo) represents not only Messi but also the team that brought us the World Cup for the third time and all the years of effort to achieve this goal.”
Before he put a tattoo of Messi on his left leg while he was wearing a blue-striped white shirt as he accepted the Gold Cup, he previously had a tattoo of the other legend of Argentine football, Diego Maradona, who was crowned world champion in 1986 and died in 2020.
– ‘The greatest joy’ –
“It’s a perfect representation of what Argentine football is and what Argentina stands for for us,” he continued. On the other hand, 20-year-old Alma Ocampo, who has been playing soccer since she was a child, decided to get a tattoo when Argentina surprisingly lost its first match in the World Cup against Saudi Arabia (2-1) and said in this regard, “When everyone was losing Confidence, I told myself that I would tattoo the cup if Argentina won it. I did that on December 18, 2022.
As for Ariel Saki, a physical education teacher, he tattooed a playing card representing five World Cup tournaments, which is the number of copies in which Messi participated, and the latter mediated it as he accepted the cup. “I decided to get a tattoo because it gave all Argentines the greatest joy,” Sacchi said.
Messi raised his score to 37 titles in a triumphant march that witnessed his victory in all tournaments without exception, and he rose to the ranks of football legends alongside the Brazilian Pele and his compatriot Maradona.
In his last appearance in the World Cup finals, Messi broke many records, including his participation in his 26th match in the World Cup, while he scored two goals from his team’s hat-trick in an exciting 3-3 draw, before resorting to the penalty kicks scenario that smiled at Argentina.
© 2022 AFP