We are expecting Lionels in a few years.
How did you choose your name? They were named after ancestors, saints or their mother’s first love, but they didn’t tell Dad about this detail? Footballers mostly come from poor families. And workers are more likely to name their children after celebrities. There are many bad players in the world named Zinedine. Children have been registered under the hero’s name for decades World Cup-98. Men dream of children in football, choose the names of their idols. The stars themselves do it too. Zidane’s son is called Enzo. In honor of the former Real Madrid coach’s idol, Uruguayan legend Francescoli. Brazilian Felipe Melo, a former Juventus and Galatasaray player, has a son named Lineker, as an England striker.
Melo admitted that without football he would have become a murderer or a drug dealer, like his childhood friends. Football saved Felipe. And nearby there were guys with catchy names, like his son. The Venezuelan boy was named Overat Breitner in honor of the German legends. He has already finished his career and played for Santos. It was also worth checking with Anthony’s parents’ doctors Philip David Terry Frank Donald Stanley Garry Gordon Stephen James Oatway. The poor guy chose 11 names in honor of the base KPR 1973 Mum and Dad supported the club and son became a Brighton legend. Apart from Charlie Oatway – he went by his twelfth first name, which is funny, there are other stories.
Javi Simons
The Dutch say that people in local ghettos often name their children after football players. But Simons has a different story. There is no need to explain my father’s logic here. Simons’ father played football himself and supported Barcelona. I admired the talent of Javi Hernandez. Young Simons grew up in a Catalan school before being sent to PSG. Now on loan to Leipzig, where he will receive valuable advice to continue his career from Klopp, the new football advisor to Red Bull bosses. Simons stands out from a new generation of guys whose names instantly recall idols of the past. There was not enough room for the new Xavi at Barcelona. But other giants are interested in the footballer.
Rennes Tijani
The Milan midfielder’s value increased after his success at Euro 2024. Played with Simons, reached the semi-finals. Reynders’ parents adored Tijani Babangida, a former Ajax and Nigeria striker. As a result, Reinders has an unusual name. Young Tijani hasn’t played for Ajax, but he is perhaps even more stable than the Nigerian. At 26, Reinders became a star in his own right. He has an unusual style, a tricky midfielder. Multifunctional reader. He could end up at a club that is now more successful than Milan. In the meantime, Reinders won the Italian Super Cup after the arrival of coach Conceicao at the club. Tijani did not become the hero of the final, but won the trophy.
Baggio Dominguez
Of course, not all footballers associated with legends are at Simons’ level. Let’s add to the story a guy who didn’t make it USA. But he will spend his entire life under the name Baggio. His father named his eldest son Edson in honor of Pelé. And when World Cup-94 I saw the Italian’s game and convinced his wife to repeat the method. They could have just called this guy Roberto, no one would have known his story. But they chose a name that’s hard to miss. Baggio Dominguez did not become a great defender, although in his youth he was the captain of his team. He now works in the field of sports facility maintenance. But in a year’s time, journalists may remember Baggio by inviting them to Italian national team matches if Spalletti plays World Cup-2026.
David George Best Cotterill
David’s mother and father cheated. The Cardiff native wasn’t named George Best, but the legend’s first and last name were included Manchester United in the documents. And new Welshman George Best looks like his parents’ idol because of a bad habit. Cotterill is an alcoholic. I once got so drunk that I had hallucinations. He tried to prick himself with a corkscrew, but his wife snatched the piece of iron from the footballer’s hands. And then David took a huge kitchen knife. I woke up in a pool of blood, my wife crying next to me. The doctors pumped the alcoholic. Cotterill was in the squad for Euro 2016, where Bale took Wales to the semi-finals, but did not feature. But he lit up at team parties. We doubt he has given up drinking. David believes in stupid conspiracy theories. He looks like he’s 50, even though he’s the same age as Messi.
Matthee Oliveira
The entire football world learned of the birth of Matthäus. It was in his honor that the legendary celebration of Father Bebeto and his teammates took place after the goal against the Netherlands in World Cup-94. The baby’s name is the same as Ballon d’Or winner Lottar Matthäus. But Bebeto’s son is not a master of football victories. Matthäus did not play for Sporting. At thirty years old, the attacking midfielder finds himself in United Arab Emirates. Oliveira has not reached the heights of his famous father. He can be compared to Enzo Zidane. The midfielder, who was held back at Real Madrid’s school because of his father, reached Spain’s third division at the age of 29 and retired last year. Zinedine’s son, named after Francescoli, did not surpass Bebeto’s son, named after Matthaus. But their parents have gold medals at home World Cup and a million in the accounts. The heirs never needed anything and played football for their own pleasure.
Denis Bergkamp
In the Netherlands, a national tradition is to name children after football players. Bergkamp’s parents are fans of Denis Law. But since the Dutch have the name Denis with a letter “n” for girls, the parents decided not to spoil Bergkamp’s childhood. Added a second letter “n”. And when Dennis grew up, after a great match for Ajax and a failure at Inter, he ended up at Arsenal. I remember everyone for my fear of flying on an airplane. Bergkamp’s friend died in a plane crash, and Dennis himself accidentally missed that flight. And during the flight to USA on World Cup-1994, a journalist joked that he had a bomb in his bag. Poor Bergkamp suffered a serious panic attack. They helped. They used traditional and less traditional methods, such as hypnosis. More often than not, Dennis traveled to away matches by train and bus. He won numerous titles and topped the Ballon d’Or rankings. But Denis Lowe won the famous prize. Unfortunately, the former striker Manchester United recently died. But the memory of the Scots now lives on thanks to Bergkamp. We are sure that there are many stars with household names in football schools.
About the Author
