Mumbai: It has been 28 years since France won its first FIFA World Cup title. And yet the name Trezeguet is still present on the World Cup stage.
So is Dunga, 32 years after Brazil won the title in 1994.
So is Zico, and then there are two Zidanes, a Zineddine and even a Zizo.
At the ongoing World Cup in North America, the biggest teams have brought with them the best players from their respective countries. But in many cases at this World Cup, names have been inspired by the sport’s legends.
On June 22, when Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1 to put themselves within touching distance of a spot in the Round of 32, Mostafa Ziko scored their first goal while the last was struck by Trezeguet.
Mostafa Mohamed Zaky Abdelraouf, a 29-year-old winger born in Alexandria, was given the moniker ‘Ziko’ after the legendary Brazilian player Zico. Meanwhile Trezeguet, who was given the nickname by his childhood coach based on France’s 1998 World Cup-winning striker David Trezeguet, is really Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan outside footballing circles.
The Egyptian team also has another player named after a French World Cup winning star. Zizo, whose real name is Ahmed Mostafa Mohamed Sayed, goes by the name inspired by the nickname (Zizou) given to Zinedine Zidane. Egypt’s Nabil Emad Aly Elmahdy has adopted the name Dunga, inspired by the player who captained Brazil to the World Cup title in 1994.
Zidane, however, has been the most inspirational player – at least in terms of nicknames.
Zidane Aamar Iqbal is the Iraq team’s 23-year-old striker, who was born in England to a Pakistani father and Iraqi mother. The midfielder was also once a part of the Manchester United youth academy, but currently plays for Utrecht in the Dutch Eredivisie.
There are two players in the Algerian team that carry Zidane’s name as well. The first is by inheritance and the other by choice. Zidane – the real Zidane – was born to Algerian immigrants. His son Luca Zidane has opted to play as goalkeeper for the North African nation. And then there’s the Algerian defender Zineddine Belaid.
Luca Zidane is also not the only son of a former star player competing at this World Cup. World Cup winner with France in 1998 Lillian Thuram’s son Marcus is with the French team. The great George Weah from Liberia, who is, to date, the only African player to have won the Ballon d’Or, has been a constant at the venues in the US since his son Timothy plays for the American team.
Former Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert’s son Justin has travelled with the Netherlands, while former Argentina player and Atletico Madrid’s head coach Diego Simeone’s son Guiliano is a part of the squad led by Lionel Messi.
Germany’s 2014 World Cup winner Sami Khedira’s younger brother Rani is playing for Tunisia.
In terms of other peculiar names of players competing at the World Cup, co-hosts Canada has Promise David, a striker of Nigerian heritage, who scored his team’s consolation goal in the 2-1 loss against Switzerland.
The Haitians have (Martin) Experience, (Ruben) Providence and (Yassin) Fortune. Meanwhile, Australian defender Jacob Italiano leaves little to the imagination about where his family’s roots lie.
Monikers after former players are not a new invention. The great Abedi Pele, who won the African Cup of Nations with Ghana in 1982, was a key figure in Marseille’s triumph in the 1992-93 UEFA Champions League, and won three consecutive African Player of the Year awards (1991-93), professionally went by the nickname inspired by Brazilian legend Pele. His real name is Abedi Ayew.
Even Cristiano Ronaldo’s name was an inspiration, albeit from actor and US President Ronald Reagan.
Closer to home, David Beckham Elkatohchoongo and Ronaldo Laitonjam Singh (named after the former Brazil striker) are international track cyclists. Ronaldo Singh’s younger brother is Rivaldo.
And in 2019, when scientists discovered a new species of spider, it was named “Marengo sachintendulkar.”