These football players are known simply by their first names!
Many football players are primarily identified by their last names, even if their first names are also well-known. While names like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are instantly recognisable, it's more common to refer to them by their last names. However, there are players, especially in Brazil and frequently in Portugal and Spain, who are exclusively or predominantly known by just their first names.
Even after his career was marred by injuries, Ronaldo is universally regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history. The iconic Brazilian forward clinched two World Cup titles, although he missed out on the 1994 tournament. He adorned the jerseys of illustrious clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and AC Milan. Ronaldo's complete name is Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, a distinction made necessary by the emergence of his compatriot and teammate, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, who later adopted the moniker "Ronaldinho" due to Ronaldo's prior claim to the name.
Ronaldo with a classic smile
In his early days, Xavi contemplated leaving Barcelona under the weighty expectation of filling the shoes of his former teammate, Pep Guardiola. However, he persevered and ultimately ascended to become the club's most revered midfielder. Born Xavier Hernandez Creus, he has been known simply as Xavi since his debut with the Catalan giants in 1998. This singular name has remained synonymous with his illustrious career, spanning from his pivotal role in Spain's triumphs between 2008 and 2012 to his subsequent tenure as a coach at Barcelona.
There are numerous football players with the name Raúl, but in reality, there is only one Raúl. The former striker for Spain and Real Madrid, of course! Raúl González Blanco, the full name of the forward, came through Atletico Madrid's development system before becoming a hero at Real Madrid. There, he won three Champions Leagues and, until Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed him with 323 goals, became the club's all-time leading scorer. Across the back of his jersey, there was just Raúl and the number 7.
One of Brazil's greatest footballers of all time, Neymar overtook Pelé as the country's best scorer in September 2023 after playing for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. After starting his career with Santos, Neymar da Silva Santos Junior went on to play for Barça, PSG, and Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, people only know him by his first name wherever he travels.
One of the greatest personalities in Spanish football history, Joaquín Sánchez is a legend at Real Betis, where he played for two spells until retiring at the age of nearly forty-two. The former Spain winger, who was known for cracking jokes, was once captured bare-bodied during celebrations after winning the Copa del Rey against Valencia. He petitioned La Liga for permission to wear "Hulio" on his shirt after referring to his former Malaga teammate Julio Baptista as "Hulio" in a video that went viral. Baptista claimed tennis was his interest before acknowledging he had "never picked up a racquet" in his life. He didn't, but Joaquín was a sufficiency of a name.
After being called Dele Alli for many years, the former England and Tottenham forward requested to just be called "Dele." The midfield player, whose full name is Bamidele Jermaine Alli, revealed he had "no connection" to his family name when he altered the name from Alli to Dele on his shirt. He would ultimately provide a horrifying story of his childhood abuse years later.
Some of the other players with their first names are Alisson, Saúl, Adriano, James, and Romario.
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