Players wanting to be known by their first names or by just one name

[jma]

I get unreasonably annoyed by this.

On the player's part, it is usually just massive egotism.

On the fan's part, it is the worst part of hipsterism.

I'll make an exception for Brazilians, with their 7 names and a long cultural history of doing it.

The bloke is called Alexis Sanchez, therefore, like all players before him, he is Sanchez, not Alexis.

Rodriguez, not James.

Ronaldo, not Cristiano.

Hernandez, not Chicharito.

And there are hundreds of other examples where pathetic player's are requesting to be known by one name or to have their first name on the back if their shirt. As if they want to almost trademark a name that thousands of others, including many footballers, share.

I can't think of examples at present but I'm sure I've even heard of English players trying to get on this bandwagon too and eventually being told by their clubs that they aren't going to put 'Dave's on the back of a shirt.

The fans who are so desperate to use it and aid them in this process come across as internet dwelling freaks, desperate to stand out amongst their mates in the playground.

If it is a cultural thing, fair enough. If not though, it should be banned and a 20 match ban issued to any player trying it.

Discuss.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

JiHai Sun

 

[jma]

JiHai Sun

Cultural

 

[pee dubya]

Depends how much easier their chosen name is to spell.

 

[dickie davies]

I bet that there are plenty of shirt printers and supporters who wished Johannes Vennegoor of Hesselink could have shortened his shirt name to "Jan"

 

[DrBlueBob]

Kun.

 

[Hamann Pineapple]

"Sorry your surname is what ?"
"How do you say that ?"
"How do you spell...?"

"I am Zlatan"

 

[jma]

Aguero. Thousands of Argentinian footballers have managed to be referred to by their surname before him and thousands still manage now. In fact, very few people call him 'Kun' in commentary or conversation, outside of the children/hipsters referred to above.

Ibrahimovic. Perhaps the prime example. A walking ego who has been desperate to be a brand all his career. Swedish footballers - some with much more difficult to pronounce names than him - manage fine with surnames. Balkan footballers do the same. But none of them are sad enough to be desperate to be marked out (in their head) as 'special by being 'soooooooooo famous' that just a first name will do.

 

[Gazza]

I remember Neil Ruddock having 'Razor' on the back but the referee/F.A. made him change it.

 

[Bigga]

I have 'Bigga' on my shirt.

I meant to have 'Cockerel' with it but I ran out of space halfway through...