Which Sports Stars Have the Best Tattoos?

Author: Robert Bell

People in all different occupations can enjoy getting tattoos that show off their interests, passions, and style. Among some of the very best designs, we can see stunning tattoos on some of the world’s greatest sports stars. Soccer stars, NFL players, NBA athletes… who has the most incredible and meaningful tattoos or which starts have best tattoos?

Kobe Bryant

NBA legend Bryant has inspired others to get his image tattooed on their bodies over the years. The player himself has a set of stylish tattoos on his right arm that have a deep meaning for him.

A crown topped with a butterfly sit about the name of his wife, Vanessa, and a mention of Psalm 27 is below this. The elegant, black tattoo is about the importance of his wife and family. He is the crown and the butterfly play the part of his daughters. 

Jason Giambi 

The former baseball player has a big tattoo on his left arm that features a flaming skull. This type of imagery is typically associated with death and a sense of mortality.

Giambi had a successful MLB career but is his tattoo among the best in the world of sports? He doesn’t seem to have publicly given a reason for this design and for some people think it might be just a bit too cliché for their liking.

Nate Robinson

The point guard has played for teams such as the Boston Celtics, the Chicago Bulls, and Oklahoma City Thunder. He had numerous tattoos all over his body, but perhaps the most interesting is the one that is inked on his neck.

On here, he has the number eight, with Bentley-style wings on it. Round the back of his neck is the Seattle skyline, captured at night. It perhaps isn’t the most intricately drawn piece of art ever, but since he was born and raised in Seattle it presumably means a lot to him personally.      

David Beckham

One of the world’s most famous soccer stars, now retired after a career that passed through Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy. Beckham has dedicated a lot of time and money into turning his body into a piece of living art. Among the stand-out images are the number 7 in Roman numerals, which was the number he wore on the back of his shirt in his playing career.

There is also a rose tattoo that is a tribute to his wife Victoria. He has the solar system inked on his scalp and a set of cherubs on his arm too. His children’s names are depicted above and below an angel on his back.

Jeremy Shockey

This former NFL player was a tight end for the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Carolina Panthers, among others. His tattoos combine national patriotism with a religious feel and some Latin words.

On Shockey’s right arm, we can see typical symbols of US patriotism, such as the stars and stripes and a bald eagle. He said that took over 20 hours to get done. Across on his other arm, there is a Japanese-style fish and a Latin phrase that translates as “if you want peace, prepare for war”.   

Daniele de Rossi

Most American’s probably are not familiar with De Rossi, but he was a very prominent figure in the AS Roma team, where he spent most of his career. He also won the World Cup in 2006, with Italy.

At the age of 35 he decided to leave Roma and move to Boca Juniors, in Argentina, where he is at the moment.

De Rossi is also known for having a total of 13 tattoos, being the most iconic the one he has on the back of his right leg. It depicts a warning sign about a possible leg-breaker approaching, which might be synonym with the fact that De Rossi was known for being quite an aggressive tackler in soccer.

Chris Andersen

Andersen, known as the Birdman, was the first D-League player to be called up by an NBA team. Although he is not known for being one of the top draft picks of the NBA, he is more famous for having been probably the most-tattooed player in the NBA. 

He has inked over 65% of his body. Many of the images are giant and colorful, while others are more under-stated. For example, he has “good” and “evil” written in Chinese symbols on his forearms.

His inner arms have bright phoenix wings on them.  Other tattoos that you can see on this player are red dice, chains, and the words “Free Bird”. He has stated in the past the meanings behind some of these works of art, such as recalling when he served a drugs suspension and when he broke off an engagement.