Argentinean Players' Nicknames

There's no secret that to most Argentinean "hinchas" the nickname ("apodo") of a player will tell more than his name and surname. For example, what would you understand from boring "Alejandro Dominguez" which you have hundred thousands in Argentina of! Quite another story would be "Chori Dominguez" or simply, "Chori". Everyone immediatley knows who you are talking about. In communication between fans, commentators, journalists, coaches and players themselves one word is enough: "Mostaza". "Chacho", "Caldera", "Cuqui", "Chelo" or "Cata". There's no need to add anything or decifer. And how would you like the hypnotizing "Guiillleeeee!" over Bombonera when Boca seems to have problems! It's legendary "La Doce" demanding their idol. And whichever coach is training Boca at the moment, he understands right away, who this is about, and sends the player in.

In order to get inspired with magnificent spirit of Argentinean football, to plunge into it deeper, we offer a list of most popular players' apodos (not everyone is granted with a nickname). Now you may forget their official names. An apodo will be anough both for you and for them.

Federico "Pocho" Insua
Rolando "Flaco" Schiavi
Roberto "Pato" Abbondanzieri
Hugo "Negro" Ibarra
Antonio "Chipi" Barijho
Marcelo "Chelo" Delgado
Guillermo "Guille" Schelotto
Daniel "Cata" Diaz
Alejandro "Chori" Dominguez
Ezequiel "Equi" Gonzalez
Ernesto "Tecla" Farias
Daniel "Rolfi" Montenegro
Diego "Pichichi" Forlan
Alvaro "Chino" Recoba
Damian "Piojo" Manso
Eduardo "Chacho" Coudet
Leandro "Pipi" Romagnoli
Santiago "Pato" Raymonda
Leonel "Toti" Rios
Christian "Laucha" Lucchetti
Daniel "Flaco" Bilos
Fernando "Pintita" Gago
Claudio "Paragua" Morel Rodriguez
Rodrigo "La Joya" Palacio
Martin "Loco" Palermo
Ezequiel "Loco" Lavezzi
Federico "Colo" Lussenhoff
Adrian "Polaco" Bastia
Rodrigo "Chapu" Braña
Jose Luis "Caldera" Calderon
Marcelo "Chelo" Carrusca
Jose "Pepe" Chatruk
Rodrigo "Kalule" Melendez
Mariano "Tanque" Pavone
Jose "Principito" Sosa
Gustavo "Tucu" Balvorin
Esteban "Tetе́" Gonzalez
Lucas "Army" Lobos
Sergio "Kun" Aguero
Nicolas "Garza" Frutos
Maximiliano "Pelado" Castaño
Gaston "Tonga" Aguirre
Fernando "Pelado" Belluschi
Ivan "Memo" Borghello
Juan Sebastian "Brujita" Veron
Ariel "Burrito" Ortega
Diego "Burrito" Rivero
Ariel "Pepi" Zapata
Carlos "Lechuga" Roa
Miguel "Japonе́s" Caneo
Pablo "Tolo" Guiñazu
Nestor "Cuqui" Silvera
Ruben "Mago" Capria
Cristian "Lobo" Ledesma
Maxi "Enano" Morales
Esteban "Bichi" Fuertes
Sebastian "Chirola" Romero
Diego "Cholo" Simeone
Reinaldo "Mostaza" Merlo
Gaston "Gata" Fernandez
Marcelo "Muñeco" Gallardo
Danilo "Paco" Gerlo
Gonzalo "Pipa" Higuain
Gustavo "Cachete" Oberman
Jairo "Viejo" Patiño
Victor "Chapa" Zapata
German "Pirulo" Rivarola
Emmanuel "Tita" Villa
Pablo "Pitu" Barrientos
Walter "Tota" Garcia
Ariel "Pata" Pereyra
Fabian "Poroto" Cubero
Jonas "Gaigo" Gutierrez
Gaston "Gato" Sessa