Nemanja Gudelj’s tattoos are hard to sum up with one symbol. They read like a family album, a football scrapbook and a record of things he cares about: portraits, quotes, crosses, Serbian symbols, pop culture and names that matter to him.
When Gudelj talks about the tattoos, he comes back to family, Serbia, faith and friendship. There’s a playful side as well: Batman, playing cards, praying hands and Scrooge McDuck sit beside much more personal work.
The number of tattoos changes as Gudelj adds to the collection. The clearest way to understand it is to start with the people, then look at the country and faith references, and finally the smaller designs.
His family portraits are the heart of the collection
Gudelj’s best-known tattoos are portraits of his family: his father Nebojša, mother Olivera, brother Dragiša and sister Vanja. He has described the ink as a way to carry his family with him, especially when playing abroad.
His father’s portrait was reportedly the first, done while Gudelj was still in the Netherlands. The collection began as something personal while he was building a career and living away from home, not as a fashion statement after he became famous.
In match photos, a chest or arm shot can show faces, script, shading and smaller symbols all at once. The tattoos look less like one sleeve with a single theme and more like memories gradually finding space beside one another. He carries the people who shaped him, not only the places he has played.
His brother and sister appear on the arm
Gudelj’s brother Dragiša and sister Vanja also appear in tattoos on his arm, with the portraits reaching toward the left side of his chest. They show in shirtless football photos, but sit close to his body rather than being displayed like a logo.
The collection keeps returning to family. Even when cards, animals or script surround the portraits, relatives stay at the centre. The tattoos can be seen during training or a match, but their meaning doesn’t depend on strangers recognizing each face.
The Serbian crest makes his patriotism easy to spot
One of Gudelj’s clearest patriotic tattoos is on his right thigh: a white eagle with four ocila, part of Serbia’s national symbol. It’s a bold image that keeps his home country close while his career takes him between clubs and countries.
The same area is reported to include family portraits and other smaller details. Gudelj doesn’t separate national pride, family and football into neat boxes; they overlap. Serbia is part of his family history and of the life he built around football.
The eagle and national symbol are documented. The exact meaning of every line around them isn’t. Some of the honest description is simply that this is a larger leg piece built around Serbia and the people he loves.
Batman, playing cards and Scrooge McDuck keep it playful
Close-up photos show playing cards across Gudelj’s chest, a Batman emblem, praying hands and a Scrooge McDuck design. They’re easier to spot in shirtless photos than when he’s wearing a Sevilla or Serbia shirt.
The cards add a bit of swagger, but there’s no reliable account tying them to a particular game or event. Batman brings a pop-culture note to a collection otherwise full of portraits, quotes and national imagery. Scrooge McDuck is the unexpected one, bringing humour alongside the family tributes.
The praying hands sit between the playful and spiritual sides of the collection. Together, these designs make clear that Gudelj doesn’t expect every tattoo to carry the weight of a memorial.
Quotes and script fill the spaces between the larger designs
Gudelj has lines of script and shorter phrases across his chest, stomach and arms. Some photos show the word “Family”; other lettering is too small or angled to read confidently. The script fills the spaces between larger designs and helps connect them, rather than standing alone as one big slogan.
There are few blank areas reserved for a future plan. A new portrait or symbol can sit beside older writing, making the collection denser over time. That’s what happens when someone begins with one meaningful tattoo and keeps finding reasons to add another.
Gudelj is also reported to have sports references and personal quotes that haven’t been explained publicly. A photo can show where a tattoo sits and which words are legible, but not its full backstory. The collection is more honest when the unknown parts stay unknown.
Rashid’s name turns friendship into a tattoo
One unusual tattoo honours Rashid Riverchafa, Gudelj’s former driver and friend. Reports say the Mexican driver became someone Gudelj trusted. His brother reportedly got Rashid’s name tattooed as well, turning it into a shared mark of friendship.
Rashid wasn’t a teammate or relative, but someone who became important through everyday life. Gudelj chose to make that relationship permanent.
More recent entertainment coverage has also mentioned an infinity symbol and the initials N and A connected with his wife, Anastasija. The reports and images aren’t consistent enough to give a precise date or design history, so it’s safest to describe it as a later tribute on his neck. It fits the wider pattern: people important to Gudelj appear in his tattoos.
Dragon Ball gives the collection a pop-culture twist
Gudelj also has a Dragon Ball tattoo on his thigh. It drew attention when Sevilla shared a photo of him pointing to it. The club’s post was a tribute to Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama and gave fans a clearer look than most match photos.
The tattoo adds another side to Gudelj’s collection. Family and faith are central, but he also likes pop-culture characters and stories. A tattoo can be personal without being autobiographical; sometimes a character, world or childhood memory is enough.
It also shows why one photo isn’t enough to map his tattoos. A chest shot may show the cards and script while hiding the thigh. A training photo can reveal the leg work and cover the back. The collection comes into focus across several images.
Gudelj’s tattoos read like a family album with football around the edges. The main themes are family, Serbia, faith and friendship. Football is there, but not always as a club badge. It comes through in travelling abroad, keeping home close and remembering the people who helped him.
Portraits of Nebojša, Olivera, Dragiša and Vanja give the collection its emotional centre. The Serbian eagle and four ocila mark national pride; the three crosses add a spiritual note; Rashid’s name honours a lasting friendship. Cards, Batman, Scrooge McDuck and Dragon Ball keep it from getting too serious.
The designs don’t follow one clean style, and they don’t need to. Some are well explained, some are easy to see and some remain private. The collection feels like a real person’s skin, not a branding exercise.
For now, the main point is simple: Gudelj’s tattoos record who he carries with him. The names, faces, crosses, Serbian symbols, quotes and pop-culture designs all point to the same idea. He travels for football, but his reminders of home travel with him.
Watch a Nemanja Gudelj interview for more of the personality behind the ink