-
1 of 11Colombian soccer fan Felipe Alvarez looks at his partially completed Atletico Nacional jersey tattoo in Medellin, Colombia on October 9, 2010.Raul Arboled—AFP/Getty Images -
2 of 11Soccer fan Delneri Viana poses for a photo in his home, decorated with Botafogo colors in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 8, 2014. Viana has 83 and counting tattoos and never wears anything without the team's emblem.Felipe Dana—AP -
3 of 11John Westwood poses for a photo in his home in Portsmouth, England on May 1, 2010. In 1989 John Westwood changed his name to John Anthony Portsmouth Football Club Westwood. Westwood has over 60 Portsmouth tattoos on his body.Sam Bagnall—AMA -
4 of 11An Ajax soccer fan shows off his tattoo at Amsterdam Arena during the team's opening day on August 3, 2011.Olaf Kraak—AFP/Getty Images -
5 of 11An Arsenal fan shows his tattoo before the Champions League final soccer match against at the Stade de France in Saint Denis, France on May 17, 2006.Darren Staples —Reuters -
6 of 11England fans drink beer on a cafe terrace in Lisbon efore England and France play the first match of UEFA Euro 2004 on June 13, 2004.Nacho Doce—Reuters -
7 of 11Soccer fan Martin Hueschen admires his new tattoo of Germany's soccer trophy and Borussia Dortmund soccer club's coach Juergen Klopp, at a tattoo shop in Unna, Germany on April 20, 2011.Wolfgang Rattay—Reuters -
8 of 11British soccer fan with a tattooed face smiles prior to England's first match of the Euro 2012 soccer championships against France on June 11, 2012 in Donetsk, Ukraine. on Monday.Vasily Fedosenko—Reuters -
9 of 11Carlos Eduardo poses for a photo showing his Botafogo's tattoos in Petropolis, Brazil on May 17, 2014.Felipe Dana—AP -
10 of 11A Liverpool fan kisses a tattoo with the Liverpool soccer club's emblem outside a pub before the Champions League final match between AC Milan and Liverpool on May 24, 2005 in Istanbul.Kai Pfaffenbach—Reuters/Corbis -
11 of 11Felipe da Costa Almeida poses for a photo showing his tattoo of the Christ Redeemer statue over the Maracana stadium, backgrounded by the Flamengo soccer club initials in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 30, 2014.Felipe Dana—AP
Jerseys fade, face paint smears, and those foam “number 1” fingers get bent out of shape – eventually — but there are more enduring expressions of loyalty toward one team, like full-body jersey tattoos. Soccer fans take team spirit to new heights with permanent ink.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Taylor Swift Is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year
- Meet the Nation Builders
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
