Paolo Di Canio’s 14 Tattoos & Their Meanings

Paolo Di Canio is an Italian football Manager and a Former Professional Footballer. A West Ham’s all-time top Premier League scorer has made over 500 league appearances during his playing career. Di Canio gained fame in the 1990s for his extensive body modifications which include a collection of fascist tattoos and a Mussolini-shaped Ampallang, which was perforated during a football match in 2001. Paolo Di Canio has been suspended from his role as a Sky Italia pundit after showing on air the tattoo referring to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Di Canio has several tattoos on his body covering his arms and back. Let us take a sturdy look at them and learn about their meanings.

1. Symbol Tattoo

Paolo Di Canio right arm DVX tattoo

Tattoo: The ex-West Ham striker got the symbol of “DVX”, a TITLE used by the Fascist leader, Benito Mussolini is tattooed to the bicep of his right arm.

Meaning: This controversial ink of the word “DVX” was revealed during Premier League coverage live on television, prompting a protest on social media. DVX The Italian word is known as “Duce” (meaning leader) and his tattoo refers to the fascist leader Benito Mussolini, who used to consider himself “Duce” and the fascist dictator of Italy for 20 years until 1943 and was summarily executed in 1945 when he was captured by Italian communists while attempting to flee the country.

Paolo Di Canio

Di Canio explained;

“What I carry on me are symbols of what I’ve been, of what I’ve done. Including mistakes.”

2. ‘Portrait of Jesus’ Tattoo

Paolo Di Canio right arm tattoo

Paulo Jesus Christ Tattoo

Tattoo: The shoulder of Paolo De Canio’s right arm has a tattooed Jesus Christ inked on it.

3. ‘Horse’ Tattoo

Paolo Di Canio arm horse tattoo

Tattoo: The outer side of De Canio’s has a tattoo of an artistic horse inked on it.

4. ‘An Illustration of Ampallang’ Tattoo

Paolo Di Canio LEFT ARM

Tattoo: The upper left of De Canio’s right arm has a depiction of the male genital piercing.

Meaning: In an illustration, the entire glans of the penis are penetrated with the West Ham United logo surrounded by sperms all over.

5. ‘Celtic Cross’ Tattoo

Paolo Di Canio right forearm tattoo

May 21 2019 Milan Italy Paolo Di Canio during the mini padel tournament organized with 35 leg

Tattoo: The outer side of Paolo Di Canio’s right arm has a tattoo of a Celtic cross with a banner which reads “Dio Patria Famiglia”.

6. ‘Skull’ Tattoo

Paolo Di Canio right arm skull tattoo

Tattoo: The inner side of De Canelo’s right arm consists of a tattoo Decima MAS icon/logo. The Decima Flottiglia MAS was an Italian flotilla of the Regia Marina built under the Fascist government, comprising a commando frogman squad.

7. ‘Flag’ Tattoo

Paolo right arm logo tattoo

Tattoo: On the elbow of Paolo’s right arm there exists an ink symbol from Greek civilization.

8. ‘Sword’ Tattoo

Paolo Di Canio left arm sword tattoo

Tattoo: The inner side of Paolo’s left arm has ink of a fascist Gladio.

9. ‘Brigate Skull’ Tattoo

Paolo right arm skull tatoo

Tattoo: On his upper right arm, there is a tattoo of a Brigate Nere skull which was a fascist gangster squad that killed many in RSI.

10. ‘Fasces’ Tattoo

Paolo right arm fasces tattoo

Tattoo: The inner side of footballer’s right arm has a depiction of fasces tattoo. The illustration depicts a bound bundle of wooden rods.

11. ‘West Ham United’ Tattoo 

Paolo left upperarm logo tattoo

Tattoo: The left upper arm of a footballer has a logo of West Ham United tattooed on it.

12. ‘Tribal Design’ Tattoo

Paolo left arm tribal tattoo

Tattoo: The left forearm of the footballer consists of ink of the tribal tattoo.

13. ‘Ordine Nuovo logo’ Tattoo

Paolo left arm axe logo tattoo

Tattoo: The outer side of the footballer’s left arm is covered with an Ordine Nuovo logo in a nazi shield.

14. ‘An imperial Eagle’ Tattoo

di canio back tattoo

Tattoo: On his back, Paulo has a huge ink of an imperial Eagle with its wings and mouth open wide followed by a banner underneath which reads DVX. The Portrait of Mussolini wearing a military helmet lies in the center of the eagle surrounded by some short words.

Meaning: This ink represents his courage and strength whereas the presence of Mussolini’s portrait is the clear conclusion of his support for Fascism. The Imperial Eagle was the symbol of Fascism in Italy under the rule of Benito Mussolini. The tattoo was done by two ultra-right Lazio supporters. The ink is the representation of the Italian Fascist supporters who wore Blackshirts and the uniform with the fasces or an eagle clutching a fasces on their caps or left arms.

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