Soccer fans all over the world are known to be die-hards. One Brazilian Flamengo fan took the love for his team to an astonishing new level. Jose Mauricio dos Anjos has become somewhat of a minor celebrity in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The 33-year-old husband and father of three tattooed an entire Flamengo jersey on his torso. 32 painful sessions and 90 hours of work have officially transformed him into the team’s biggest fan on the planet.
When the dedicated fan spoke with Vice Brazil, he said he originally wanted a piece covering only his shoulders and chest due to his budget. However, it was the tattoo artist who convinced him to go all out. The artist was willing to do the entire piece for only $230 just to get the exposure. The tattoo incorporates almost every aspect of the team jersey from the logo all the way to every thick black and red stripe. The only part missing from the artwork is the kit sponsors.
On the back of the tattoo jersey is a number 10 for former Flamengo player, Zico. Dos Anjos got to meet the iconic footballer who he considers to be his idol. The meeting even resulted in one more addition to the tattoo. “He was shocked and touched it to make sure it wasn’t painted on. I asked him to sign my skin and I then got his signature tattooed,” he told Vice Brazil.
While some think the work of art is incredible, others have needed a little convincing, namely dos Anjos’ wife. “Are you crazy? Don’t do that!” he said his wife told him. A big Flamengo fan herself, she was worried the tattoo would draw negative attention and possibly get her husband into altercations. It took some persuasion, but eventually, she learned to accept it.
Dos Anjos’ kids were initially confused about what was going on, seeing their father wrapped in protective plastic. His three-year-old twins would ask if he’d been hurt, bringing him to try and explain the whole tattooing process. “Because I’m always shirtless around them, they don’t find it weird anymore,” he said.
You can imagine how painful a tattoo covering 40 percent of your body would be. When asked what part hurt the most, dos Anjos said: “The ribs hurt, but the spine was the worst – that was just terrible.” Although dos Anjos’ massive tattoo takes the cake, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this type of crazy fandom. As reported by Colombia Reports in 2010, Felipe Alvarez, an Atletico Nacional fan paid tribute to slain player Andres Escobar. He had a replica of his Atletico shirt tattooed across his torso. However, he opted to only get the green stripes from the jersey and left what would have been the white striped blank.
“Trust me, I never felt any regret,” dos Anjos said about his over-the-top body art. Although he’s constantly asked if he’ll one day get the entire uniform on his body, he says his future tattoos will be much smaller.
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