MLS: Philadelphia Union hires Chief Tattoo Officer to ink players

Josh Yaro had never visited a tattoo parlor before. Nervous, the footballer needed reassurance, but the memory of his mum who had recently died emboldened him. She was his motivation.

The first pinch of the needle hurt, but the longer the bee-like buzz of the tattoo machine continued the more the Philadelphia Union defender became numb to the pain.

As he looked into the mirror and saw two doves and the words “we only part to meet again’” embossed on his left shoulder, the little discomfort Yaro had felt was worth it.

These days footballers with tattoos are two-a-penny, but what makes Yaro’s unusual is that it was done by the Chief Tattoo Officer of Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union. It is a position that the club describes as a first in professional sport.

Yaro said he never thought he would have a tattoo.

Union’s ink initiative has also had an unusual spinoff, according to Ghanaian-born defender Yaro: it has helped the squad form closer bonds.

“Most guys have a tattoo for a reason and there’s an inspiration behind it so finding out their stories are always cool,” the 22-year-old tells CNN Sport.

“It allows us to sit and talk about something other than soccer. Some of the guys who were new to the club this year didn’t know my mum had passed away and they found out through my tattoo. It has given the team something else to talk about, other than what we do every day.”

Admitting his pain tolerance “isn’t great,” Yaro has followed in the footsteps of David Beckham, Le Bron James and thousands of other professional athletes in acquiring a permanent piece of body art.

“I came in for training the next day and everyone wanted to see it,” he says, smiling, before conceding that he is unsure why tattoos are so popular among his fellow professionals.

“Everyone was really excited. I had a lot of text messages from friends who saw it on Instagram, but the reaction was all positive.”

Perhaps the man who started the trend. Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham was one of the first high-profile footballers to make tattoos a fashion statement. His first was in 1999 to mark the birth of his first child, Brooklyn. The 42-year-old is reported to now have more than 40 tattoos.

All an illusion? During his time with Paris Saint-Germain, Zlatan Ibrahimovic removed his top to unveil a torso covered in ink. The Manchester United striker revealed this year that, at the time, he had 15 removable tattoos on his body which were "names of real people who are suffering from hunger." Those tattoos have now gone, but there's still plenty of ink left on Zlatan.

Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James is another major athlete with major art work on his body. The world's most famous NBA player has "Chosen 1" on his back, to name just one, a tattoo he had done after becoming a cover star on a Sports Illustrated issue while still in High School.

Tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands adds color to the court in a variety of ways. The American has a tattoo of a large flowery design, which features honeybees, on the inside of her right arm.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has quietly been accumulating quite a collection over the years. The Argentine's left leg is now all covered in black from the knee down, except for 'No.10' and two hands alongside the name of his son, Thiago.

UFC star Conor McGregor has clearly been a regular visitor to the tattoo parlor over the last 18 months. He has a large tattoo across his abdomen and his left forearm, and a silverback gorilla wearing a crown on his chest.

Former US Open champion Stan Wawrinka has opted for a literary tattoo on his left forearm ...

The Swiss tennis player has the words of Irish poet and playwright Samuel Beckett written on his arm: "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter, Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."

Czech tennis player Karolina Pliskova has two Polynesian-style tattoos, one on her left thigh and the other on her left arm -- they come in useful when needing to tell her and her twin sister, Kristyna, apart.

PSG defender Dani Alves is one of football's characters. The former Barca star's arms are adorned with Catholic images and dedications to his family, while across his chest is his son's name in giant script.

NBA star Carmelo Anthony is one of many athletes who sports a sleeve -- a series of tattoos covering his arm. On his right arm is a flaming basketball with his initials, representing his commitment to his sport.

The upper half of NFL star Colin Kaepernick's right arm is covered in ink, as is most of his torso. Across his chest is written "Against All Odds" while down his arm is the word "Respect."

US high jumper Inika McPherson caught the eye at this year's World Athletics Championships in London. The 5ft 4in athlete has reportedly over 30 tattoos.

It's impossible to miss Chile and Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal on the pitch. The footballer sports a Mohawk and numerous tattoos and last year added to his collection -- an image of an insulin pump -- in tribute to his son who has Type 1 diabetes.

American footballer Natasha Kai, who made her international debut in 2006, has a unique style and famously appeared on TV show "LA Ink."

British swimmer Adam Peaty had a lion inked on his left arm after winning two Olympic gold medals in Rio in 2016.

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Communicating through ink

Sports teams attempt to create a spirit of camaraderie in all sorts of ways – karaoke nights, golf days, lung-busting afternoons on assault courses or an old fashioned night on hard liquor, to name a few – but this has proven to be a far more innovative way of uniting players, staff and fans.

The idea of having an in-house tattoo artist was the brainchild of Doug Vosik, Union’s vice president of marketing, after he bonded with new Dutch signing Giliano Wijnaldum – brother of Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum – over their love of ink during a pre-season photo shoot.

The Union's logo with a coiled snake is one of the most popular tattoos among fans.

“While introducing myself to Giliano, I immediately pointed out a few of his tattoos that I liked,” Vosik tells CNN Sport.

“Catching him a bit off guard as a fan of tattoos, he was surprised when I rolled up my sleeve to show him all of my tattoos.

“During this conversation, coach Jim Curtin walked by and shared that he absolutely loves tattoos and one day hoped to have a couple. Realizing how quickly strangers could bond over tattoos led the idea of having an artist provide professional services to the team.”

After months of whittling their way through 150 candidates, the club created a five-person shortlist before consulting with players and staff on who should become the team’s official tattooist.

Richie Marquez gets inked at Bonedaddys during a special event organized by the Union.

The winner of this unique one-year deal was Jay Cunliffe, owner of Bonedaddys Tattoo, based in the northeast of the city, while fellow finalist Dan Czar has earned a special place on the team sheet to give fans and players a variety of styles to choose from.

Cunliffe and Czar, who is based in Atlantic City, will collaborate to create Union-themed tattoos and host fan events – on October 21 the club allowed season ticket holders to trade in their reward points for free or discounted tattoos – while there are also plans afoot to design a mural.

‘I can get more tattoos now’

Midfielder Marcus Epps’ long-held ambition is to have a sleeve – a series of tattoos covering the length of the arm – and he is already making plans for his next visit to Bonedaddys.

“The Union already checked the tattoo artists out so I feel comfortable with them and feel I can get more tattoos now,” the 22-year-old Mississippi native tells CNN Sport.

“Everyone was happy about the appointment, even the guys who didn’t have tattoos. We think it’s pretty cool.

“It’s kind of addictive. In my free time I look up ideas for tattoos. I have two pieces in mind. One with my club emblem from childhood and in another one I want to incorporate the Union in it.”

Being an individual in a team

Half a century ago tattoos were the reserve of sailors and bikers, but the sight of athletes covered in ink is, these days, a familiar one no matter what the sport. What was once frowned upon is now fashion.

Arguably, former Manchester United, Real Madrid and England midfielder Beckham, whose body is decorated with over 40 tattoos, was the first footballer to set the trend when he had the name of his first child, Brooklyn, inked across his neck.

Among the designs on Beckham are two cherubs, representing his first two sons, the year of his birth 1975, roses which mark his 10th wedding anniversary and ‘VII’ in reference to the No.7 shirt he wore at Manchester United.

Czar, who has also tattooed NFL players, has noticed a steady increase in the popularity of tattoos ever since he first became an artist three years ago.

“Anybody from 18 through to 35, there’s a half chance they’re going to have a tattoo, which is really good for me,” he tells CNN Sport.

“With athletes, each player is representing something. It’s cool for them to be an individual on the team by having a tattoo, to stand a bit apart, to express themselves in a way they find appropriate. It’s really become fashion now.”

For both Czar and Cunliffe, high on the list of sportspeople they would like to ink is Beckham.

Cunliffe, who has been a tattoo artist for 14 years and opened his shop in 2005, told CNN Sport: “Beckham definitely stands out. He’s had a huge influence.

“Athletes and tattoos go hand in hand, just like you used to see rock and roll stars with tattoos.

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“I love tattooing. Whatever it is I get excited for it and just being able to tattoo professional athletes is exiting in itself.”