Vinicius Junior’s Tribute Tattoo Honors Sports Legends Kobe Bryant, Pele, Michael Jordan, and Muhammad Ali

Vinicius Junior, the Brazilian international footballer, recently unveiled an intricate tattoo on his back paying homage to iconic sports figures. The tattoo features images of Kobe Bryant, Pele, Michael Jordan, and Muhammad Ali. Notable moments captured include Ali’s victorious celebration after defeating Sonny Liston and Pele’s jubilation following Brazil’s 1970 World Cup win.

The tattoo, a testament to Vinicius’ admiration for sports greatness, also includes a nod to social causes. Following ten incidents of racial abuse at Spanish football stadiums this year, Vinicius incorporated the words ‘mentality’ and ‘black lives matter’ into the design. The intricate artwork took eight hours to complete, with LA-based tattoo artist GANGA sharing details about the process on social media.

Vinicius, currently enjoying his time off, was spotted at the Christmas game against the Boston Celtics alongside basketball legend LeBron James. The 23-year-old forward signed a four-year contract extension with Real Madrid earlier this year, securing his stay until June 2027. Since joining Real Madrid in 2018, Vinicius has made 235 appearances, scored 63 goals, and won nine major trophies, including two LaLiga titles and the 2022 Champions League.

However, his LaLiga journey has been marred by racist incidents, with a recent incident occurring during Real Madrid’s victory over Barcelona. LaLiga has initiated an investigation, collaborating with the Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalan police) and FC Barcelona to address the issue of racial abuse in football stadiums.