Guram Kashia’s tattoos are easiest to see in photographs rather than in one complete catalogue. Match-day shots reveal parts of his back, shoulders and arms; his collection also includes leg ink. Published accounts identify the stories behind a few designs, including an Arnhem tribute and a John Lennon image reported on his hand.
The back piece is the centre of Kashia’s tattoo collection
A large black-and-grey composition runs across Kashia’s back and over his shoulders. A Reuters photograph carried by Sportnet shows it from near the neck to the waistband. The upper section includes a cross in a circular frame; darker figures and a mounted, armoured figure fill the centre and lower back.
A more distant photo from Fokus makes the overall spread easier to see. The work crosses the shoulder blades, spine and lower back, with lighter clouds, halos and curved ornament around the darker figures. The images show a connected scene, but published accounts don’t identify every character or explain each symbol.
Religious imagery and the cross dominate the upper back
The cross near the upper left is one of the clearest details. It sits inside a round border with radiating marks, and fine lines inside the cross give it more detail than a plain outline. Nearby faces have halo-like circles; flowing shapes link them to the rest of the scene. Small red areas appear near the shoulders, while most of the back is black and grey.
The arms combine lettering, symbols, and dense sleeve work
The arms have their own mix of designs. A Reuters close-up shows a long sword- or cross-like mark running along one arm beside lettering, with shaded faces and smaller symbols nearby. Other photographs show stars, portraits and compact blackwork on the opposite arm. The designs sit close together, but the arms aren’t mirrored.
Sportnet identifies a John Lennon image on Kashia’s hand. The photos show ink continuing around the hand and wrist, though they don’t name every nearby mark. A Belive image taken on the pitch shows both arms at once, from the shoulders toward the wrists, and makes the dense coverage easier to see.
The Arnhem tribute is a clearly documented arm tattoo
“LEST WE FORGET” is among Kashia’s most readable tattoos. De Gelderlander photographed the lettering on his upper arm beside a dark skyline shape, a cross and small marks. The compact design follows the arm near the shoulder.
De Gelderlander linked the tattoo to Arnhem, where Kashia spent eight seasons with Vitesse. Its report described it as a farewell tribute connected to his departure from the club and city. The words and skyline point to a specific place and period in his football career.
Photographs reveal more of Kashia’s tattoo collection than a single inventory can
A Sportnet photograph shows Kashia during a match against Manchester City, his face in profile and one tattooed arm visible from the shirt sleeve to the wrist. It records the ink in a match setting, where movement, tape and clothing can hide other details. A close-up of his back answers different questions than an action photo of his arm.
The face-visible team portrait used with the profile serves a separate purpose: it identifies Kashia, but does not add evidence about designs that aren’t visible. Together, the photos offer partial views rather than conflicting inventories of the collection.
What published reporting confirms
The written record explains Kashia’s general attitude toward tattoos, the Arnhem tribute and the Lennon image on his hand. For the rest, photographs establish placement and appearance; the published accounts don’t identify every figure on the back or assign a personal meaning to each mark.
A wider view of Kashia’s collection
Kashia said he wasn’t initially a tattoo enthusiast. After moving to the Netherlands to join Vitesse in 2010, he began to appreciate tattoos for their art and meaning and described them as a reminder to enjoy the present. Published photographs show the collection across different appearances, but the available reporting doesn’t date individual sessions or establish a design-by-design timeline.
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