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For one reason or another, there are several football personalities who choose to go by names that are different from their actual ones.
Many footballers' real names are distinctly different from what are effectively stage names they use for their professional careers. This is the case with sport as an overarching field, not just with football.
Many figures even choose to go by relatively shorter names to make it easier for people all over the world to remember them by. Louis van Gaal's actual name, for instance, is Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal. Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho Gaucho was born Ronaldo de Assis Moreira.
Some footballers use their first names on the back of their shirts, such as Dele Alli and Memphis Depay, who do so due to personal reasons.
Memphis revealed that he stopped using his family name due to his father walking out on his family when the winger was just four years old. Dele, on the other hand, began going by his first name after he stated he 'had no connection with the Alli surname' back in 2016.
For others, it could even be a nickname they grew up with that sticks with teammates and supporters alike.
Atletico Madrid captain Koke's actual name is Jorge Resurreccion Merodio. 'Koke' is just a nickname coined by his elder brother when the midfielder was young and the name stuck with him well into his professional career. Former Manchester United forward Javier Hernandez is another player better known by his nickname, Chicharito.
Similarly, there are several popular football figures who have come to be known by their aliases, to an extent where some might not even be recognisable by their birth names. On that note, here is a look at five famous players who don't go by their real names.
#5 Hulk | Givanildo Vieira de Sousa
Givanildo Vieira de Sousa arguably has one of the most interesting nicknames among present-day footballers. The Brazilian journeyman is popularly known as 'Hulk', so much so that very few would be able to recognise him via his actual name. In this case, Hulk is very much a reference to the popular Marvel Comics character.
There have been many myths about the reason behind him choosing this moniker, including one related to the green shirt he wore at Tokyo Verdy in Japan. However, the truth is that Hulk's father, Djovan, was allegedly a fan of the 1978 TV show about the iconic comic book character.
'The Incredible Hulk' starred former American bodybuilder and actor Lou Ferrigno, who Djovan was a fan of. This led to him giving his son one of modern football's most iconic nicknames. In this case, it also helps that Hulk i.e. Givanildo Vieira de Sousa is a commendably well-built athlete.
#4 Pepe | Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira
Former Real Madrid star Pepe is quite commonly regarded as one of the best and most aggressive defenders of his time. The centre-back is still playing European football at the age of 38, and put in a string of magnificent displays in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League. The Portuguese rolled back the years against Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus with a breathtaking showing to knock them out of the UCL.
The highly-decorated defender has always been referred to by his nickname, Pepe, which isn't a part of his official name. However, there isn't much of a story behind this name, as Pepe himself revealed a few years ago. He explained;
"My name [Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira] in Brazil is quite difficult to pronounce. My coach and my father and called me Pepe because it was easier. And that how it has stayed; Pepe."
The 38-year-old fired Los Blancos to three LaLiga Santander titles and three UCLs during his time in the Spanish capital. He also helped Portugal win their first-ever piece of silverware as he won the UEFA Euro 2016, and the 2018-19 Nations League.
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#3 Franck Ribery | Bilal Yusuf Mohammed
Franck Ribery is undoubtedly the most unique entry on this list, and with good reason. The French superstar is one of the most terrifying wingers of his time and won titles aplenty. Ribery accumulated over a staggering 20 trophies during his time at Bayern Munich including nine Bundesliga titles and a Champions League. He formed one of the most memorable wing duos with Arjen Robben in Bavaria.
While the winger has opened up on the heartbreaking story of his facial scars in the past, one surprisingly lesser-known fact pertains to his name.
Although he was born Franck Henry Pierre Ribery, the 38-year-old's official name is now Bilal Yusuf Mohammed after converting to Islam. He cited his wife, Wahiba Belhami, who is of Algerian descent, as the reason for him changing his religion back in 2002. The Fiorentina star explained;
"Religion is my personal thing. I am a believer and since I converted to Islam, I think, I became stronger, I became mentally and physically stronger. Religion did not change my personality or my perception of the world. I pray five times a day, I do it because it enables me to be released and I feel better afterwards."
#2 Kaka | Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
Kaka is arguably one of the defining footballers of his generation. The Brazilian was the last player to win a Ballon d'Or before the decade-long duopoly between Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Kaka has several major honours to his name, including a FIFA World Cup, a UEFA Champions League, and an endless list of individual awards.
What's interesting is that his moniker 'Kaka' isn't a part of his actual name, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite. The Brazilian's famous nickname came about during his childhood thanks to his younger brother, Rodrigo Manuel Izecson dos Santos Leite, simply known as Digao.
The former Brazilian defender failed to pronounce the name 'Ricardo' when he was a child, and ended up calling him 'Caca'. This eventually morphed into 'Kaka', one of the most recognisable nicknames of the 21st century. He is also commonly referred to as Ricardo Kaka.
#1 Pele | Edson Arantes do Nascimento
While some of the others on this list are reverred as some of their generation's finest, there is no doubt that Pele is one of the greatest footballers of all time. The Brazilian legend is generally regarded as the best player the sport has seen, alongside the likes of the late Diego Maradona.
The three-time World Cup winner is the proud holder of several esteemed records in football and, in this case, one of the game's most iconic nicknames.
The name 'Pele' stems from his pronunciation of his favorite footballer when he was young, the late Vasco de Sao Lourenco legend Bile. His actual name was Jose Lino. Pele's pronunciation of the former goalkeeper's name was the subject of jokes from his classmates at the time, even angering the Brazilian when he was in school.
This gradually ended up becoming one of the most famous names football has ever witnessed. While he didn't know it at the time, 'Pele' also meant 'miracle' in Hebrew. Over the course of his career, Pele was also referred to as 'Dico' by his family and 'Gasolina' at Santos after a famous Brazilian singer.
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