‘Wardrobe’, ‘Can’t Control’ and the top 10 footballer nicknames in history

In world football, a footballer usually gets his nickname because he is either good or bad on the pitch. Although you see some others who get theirs because of other interesting reasons.

For example, Brazilian footballers are most notable for having ‘natural’ nicknames they play with. Most of the names seen on their jerseys are their nicknames.

While you find some amusing, others look and sound hilarious. In this article, News Round The Clock puts together the top 10 footballer nicknames for your reading pleasure.

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10. Dion Dublin (the Shower Clearer)

Dublin was tagged this moniker by legendary former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The ex-manager called Dublin the ‘Showe Clearer’ in his first autobiography in reference to the England striker’s commendable character.

9. Sergio Agüero (Kun)

Agüero’s known ‘middle name’ is one he got due to his resemblance to a Japanese cartoon character.

The former Manchester City striker explained: “I coined the nickname Kun because of my resemblance to the character, who was actually named Kum Kum.”

8. Carlton Cole (Can’t Control)

You may say the nickname is harsh but holistically, Cole didn’t have an impressive career.

He was extremely poor in some games while his overall records speak highly about why he got this moniker. Cole scored 52 goals in 288 appearances across four different Premier League clubs.

7. Jason McAteer (Trigger)

McAteer is a player whose nickname is gotten from the character of a movie.

Here, his nickname ‘Trigger’ isn’t quite the complementary one for his type of player – he wasn’t the sharpest player.

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6. David N’Gog (Wash ‘n’ Go)

The French striker was hugely a misfiring forward for teams like Bolton and Liverpool and he was unpopular among the fans hence the nickname ‘Wash ‘n’ Go.’

The 34-year-old currently plays for Greek amateur club Panionios.

5. Givanildo Vieira De Souza (Hulk)

Not many people knew his real name until now. He is popularly known and addressed by the simple name ‘Hulk.’

The Brazilian forward very much looks like actor Lou Ferrigno. The latter used to play the comic book superhero ‘Hulk’ in the popular TV series.

Two of the notable clubs Hulk is known to have played for are FC Porto and Zenit St. Petersburg. He currently plies his trade at Brazilian club Atlético Mineiro.

4. Papa Bouba Diop (the Wardrobe)

Former Fulham and Senegalese midfielder, Papa Bouba Diop had a nickname that was formed due to his stature. He possessed a big and intimidating figure that toiled with the mentality of opposition figures.

Bouba Diop passed away in 2020 at the age of 42.

3. David James (Calamity James)

This is one of the top footballer nicknames without a doubt. James managed to disappoint football fans a couple times during career. His mistakes were quite a number for him to be highly rated and he never truly lived up to expectations.

2. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (the Baby-Faced Assassin)

Solskjaer had a baby-like face which did not depict his true age – he looked way younger than his age.

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His most memorable football moment was his winner for Manchester United in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final. He came off the bench against Bayern Munich to seal the title with a last gasp goal. The former player later went on to manage the Red Devils.

1. Andoni Goikoetxea (the Butcher of Bilbao)

Former Athletic Bilbao centre-back, Goikoetxea was nicknamed ‘the Butcher of Bilbao’ due to his aggressive style of play back in the day.

His infamous tackle on football legend Diego Maradona severed the Argentine’s ankle and almost ended his football career in 1983. Goikoetxea represented Spain at national level.

Honourable mentions

Fernando Torres (El Nino), Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7), Javier Hernandez (Chicharito), Vagner Silva de Souza (Vagner Love), Roberto Baggio (The Divine Ponytail), Edison Cavani (El Matador), Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (Ronaldinho), Ferenc Puskas (The Galloping Major), Cesar Azpilicueta (Dave), Ronaldo de Lima (Il Fenomeno).