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THE STORY BEHIND ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC’S TATTOOS
Most fans may not have known that Zlatan Ibrahimovic has 14 tattoos on his upper body even though he once said he could not stand the thought of one. Now they give him a ‘boost’.
His shirts cover the tattoo which he could not reveal during official matches as football regulations forbid any message whatsoever being displayed.
It was for that reason that Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo got booked when he revealed the message: “Thank You Jesus” written on his under shirt in last September 4-0 defeat of Cameroon.
Ibrahimovic also got cautioned when he went against his coach’s instruction at Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League last 16 clash with Chelsea last year. He was booked.
According to UK tabloid, The Sun, Ibrahimović once said he could not stand the thought of having tattoo. Now they give him a ‘boost’.
“I was against them in the beginning. Thought they were in bad taste. But I got tempted anyway.” Here are the tattoo he carries and the meaning of them.
1 Right wrist: These numbers are known as the ‘Ibrahimovic code’ and refer to the birthdates of the males in his family. They feature his father Sefik, late brother Sapko, other brother Aleksander and the days on which his two sons Maximilian, nine, and Vince, eight, were born.
2 Right arm: On the top of his right arm, Ibrahimovic has the names of his two sons in Arabic fonts.
3 Right bicep: Below them lies ‘Sefik’. Zlatan and his father had little money and in his book, the striker tells of when they had to carry home a bed from Ikea because they could not afford the delivery charges.
4 Right oblique: Two playing cards. The ace of hearts features a letter ‘H’ inside it and this is thought to be in honour of his wife Helena Seger. The ace of clubs is apparently a good luck symbol.
5 Right side: This red dragon is to show off his warrior personality and comes from Japanese culture.
6 Left wrist: Ibrahimovic has the birthdates of his mother Jurka and sister Sanela here. Unlike the men, the women of Zlatan’s life go on the left side because they are closer to his heart. The men are on the right because the superstar believes that represents
strength.
7 Left bicep: Jurka, the name of his mother, in Arabic font.
8 Stomach: This is the tattoo Ibrahimovic says comes out only when he is tanned – and was his first. He said: “The first tattoo I got was my name across my waist in white ink. You can only see it when I have a tan. It was mainly a test.”
To the side of this he has the message: “Only God can judge me.”
Of this tat, Ibra said: “They could write whatever they wanted in the
papers. Scream anything at all from the stands.
“They still couldn’t get at me. Only God could judge me! I liked that. You have to go your own way, so I got those words tattooed on me.”
9 Left shoulder blade: A grey koi fish. The colour is thought to be
significant as grey koi are wild, as opposed to orange ones bred in ponds. Koi can swim upstream and in his book, Ibrahimovic said he chose the fish because it “went against the grain”.
10 Lower back: A recent addition, this is Leonardo da Vinci’s
‘Vitruvian Man’. It shows ideal human proportions and the original drawing dates to around 1490.
11 Right shoulder blade: This feather is said to come from an eagle and represent strength and courage. It’s ancrestry appears to be Native American.
12 Right arm: Maori tribal symbol to protect him, his family and bring good luck.
13 Right shoulder blade: A Buddhist monk image called Yant Prajao Khao Nirote, this protects from suffering.
14 Back: Another Buddhist feature, this represents the five elements of wind, water, fire, space and creative perception and is called Five Deva Faces Yantra.
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Manu Garba proud of Eaglets as team countenances Niger Republic
Coach Manu Garba has asserted that he is proud of the Golden Eaglets after Thursday’s scoreless encounter with their Burkina Faso counterparts in the Group B opener of the WAFU B U17 Championship.
Five-time champions Nigeria created several scoring chances particularly late in the game at the Accra University Stadium, but failed to utilise even one that could have earned them the three points and handed them early leadership of the pool.
However, Garba said the boys played a cohesive game in their first-ever international outing and deserve credit for their display.
“We are proud of our team’s performance. Although we didn’t secure the win that we hoped for, our players showed great teamwork and sportsmanship. We look forward to our next match and the opportunity to continue growing and improving.
“The boys will get better with experience and exposure.”
Against the Burkinabes, the Eaglets showed flair and fluency, but a heavy downpour in the final 15 minutes of the game disrupted the general flow of play, with the pitch waterlogged and effective control and passing impossible.
The Golden Eaglets go up against their counterparts from the Niger Republic on Sunday evening (6pm Ghana time; 7pm Nigeria) with renewed hope and vigour to pick up the three points that will enhance their chances of a place in the last four.
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Paris to face major disruption ahead of Games opening ceremony, says police chief
Paris will face major disruption ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony along the Seine on July 26, as organisers ramp up security measures to safeguard the event, the city’s police chief said on Thursday.
Organisers hope the opening ceremony, in which 160 boats carrying athletes from around the world will travel a 6 kilometre route along the Seine river towards the Eiffel tower, will deliver a jaw-dropping spectacle. Some 300,000 spectators will watch from the banks of the Seine as a global audience tunes in on TV.
But the ceremony is also a major security headache, taking place against a backdrop of wars in Ukraine and Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron has already floated the possibility of scrapping the river ceremony and reverting to at least two back-up plans if the security risks become untenable.
Paris residents with a view of the Seine can invite friends to watch the opening of the 2024 Summer Games from their balconies, but should prepare for heavy traffic and limited movement, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said at a press conference.
Adjacent metro stations, most river crossings and all water traffic will be halted in the week before the open-air ceremony, Nunez said, adding that some bridges will remain open “in order not to cut Paris in two halves.”
Everyone who wants to access the immediate surroundings of the Seine in the week before the Games will need to sign up on an online platform, Nunez said. Local residents hoping to access their homes, which are among the most prestigious addresses in France, will need to do the same.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, who also spoke at the event said the disruption would impact around 20,000 residents and business owners.
Asked about Macron’s comments earlier this month, Nunez said his teams were still working on the ‘Plan A’ of the river ceremony.
“As of today, we have no reason to be worried,” Nunez said.
-Reuters
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New dawn expected as Nigeria sports ministry partners with Yanga Games
Towards creating a new dawn for Nigerian Sports, the Federal Ministry of Sports has signed a landmark agreement with top lottery company Yanga Games to raise the revenue profile of the Ministry and ensure a new deal for the welfare of athletes.
Speaking during the unveiling of the partnership between the Ministry and Yanga Games in Lagos on Friday, Chairman/CEO of Yanga Games Derrick David Kentebe said: “we are so super excited by this opportunity to work with the Ministry of Sports Development to change the narrative about Sports in the country.
Continuing, he remarked: “We see opportunity for marketing our athletes and sports generally . We shall avail ourselves the best use of this unique and special partnership. We shall pursue this mandate with vigour, passion and unrivaled commitment to bring benefits to all the critical stakeholders.”
The agreement according to Kentebe will provide support for retired athletes, enhance grassroot sports Development and advance the potentials of special athletes.
He assured that ” Yanga Games has the capacity to raise funds on behalf of the Ministry of Sports for athletes Development, endorsement and sponsorship deals for athletes”.
Minister of Sports Senator John Owan Enoh assured that the Ministry has total and absolute confidence in Yanga Games to deliver on the given mandate.
“Gone are the era when we depended solely on government to fund sports development. We are partnering with Yanga Games to bring maximum benefits to the athletes and all critical stakeholders.
“We shall give institutional encouragement and support to the Management of Yanga Games to succeed in this onerous task of rebuilding our sports sub sector.”
Speaking further, Kentebe said ” We shall raise about 34 Billion in the next four years to assist athletes and improve sports in the country.
“We shall help to develop grassroot sports and sustain youth involvement through raffle draws, fund raiser and other avenues.
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