Euro 2020 Player Tattoos – Raheem Sterling

As the Euro 2020 rolls on, either to the joy or disappointment of millions of fans all over the continent, we continue our foray into the body art of some of the more prominently inked players on the field. Now the turn has come to one of England’s biggest tattoo aficionados who is not afraid to get under the needle almost as often as he nets the ball.  

Family first

One of the England squad’s most experienced player, Raheem Sterling, is no stranger to the tattoo artist’s chair. The 26-year old forward who scored the only goal for a win against Croatia as the Euro kicked off at the beginning of the month has collected a large number of tattoos by now.

Football may be his professional life, but one of the pieces with the most significance to Raheem is most likely a portrait of his daughter that sits on his left shoulder and upper arm. Below the angelic face of the little girl from when she was just a baby is written her first name – Melody – accompanied by a rose, signifying her second name.

Sterling has another tattoo of himself kissing his son, Thiago. The piece sits on his left thigh, and was done as late as 2018, revealing the ink after that year’s world cup held in Russia. The tattoo is distinctively of Raheem himself as it even depicts one of the palm trees he has on his right lower arm. There are two of them, drawing inspiration from his Caribbean heritage, along with an eagle just above. 

There is also a realistic eye on the inside of his right elbow, although it is unclear whose eye it is modeled after. The same is true for a pair of red lips situated above his left hip, with the word ‘love’ printed above them. Lionel Messi has a very similar tattoo which is reportedly modelled after his wife’s lips. 

Homage to Wembley

Sterling’s left arm is covered in personal symbolism. The underground sign of Wembley Station, the stadium close to where he grew up, and where he just scored the first goal against Germany in the the round of 16, sits near his wrist. There is also a child wearing a number 10 jersey, holding a football, in front of a depiction of the stadium. Jamaican-born Sterling also has the name of his sister, Kimberly, on the inside of his wrist with a crown above it. His chest is adorned with a cross and two stars, and his right side ribs with a flock of birds. 

M-16 piece controversy

The Manchester City forward has a tattoo of a gun on his right leg. The piece sparked some controversy ahead of the World Cup in 2018, with some claiming he was glamorising guns. However, the piece has two meanings for Sterling. One is related to his father dying from gun violence when he was only two years old, and himself swearing never to pick up a gun himself in his life. The second is fairly self-explanatory – Sterling shoots with his right foot. Something that, while it wasn’t a high calibre kick from far away, Germany’s goalkeeper Neuer became very much aware of last night.