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Gustavo Morello, Professor of Sociology, Boston College

What the tattoos of World Cup players say about their love, life and religious beliefs

The leg tattoos on midfielder Leandro Paredes of Argentina. Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup starts on June 11, 2026, traditional news and social media channels will be full of pictures of the players. Many of them will be showing their tattoos.

Body art has become increasingly part of international soccer, although its prevalence can vary across geographical regions. A study of athletes participating in the 2018 World Cup found that Latin American players were the most heavily tattooed, followed by those from Oceania and Europe. African and Asian players are the least tattooed.

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