Granit Xhaka explains how he disappointed his mum

Granit Xhaka has said his mum didn’t improve of him getting tattoos.

Like many footballers, Xhaka has a vast collection of tattoos on his arms.

Speaking to Arsenal.com, he reflected on getting his first tattoo while on holiday with his family, and how his mother didn’t approve.

“My mum was against it. I got this tattoo without asking my mum and she was really disappointed in me,” Xhaka said.

His first tattoo was the number 34, which was his squad number while he was at Basel.

Since then, he’s gained many other tattoos, mostly the names of his friends and family.

One of them says “Pocho” – meaning nice, handsome boy in Albanian – which is what his mother used to call him.

Xhaka went on to say that he’d never get a tattoo for fun, and would only get more if they were related to family, friends, football or his past.

“I like to have words and I’ll definitely have more – maybe of my kids in the future and that will be it,” he said.

“I always wanted to have tattoos, but I wanted to have them about my family and my life.

“I didn’t want to have tattoos that were seen as fun because they stay for your whole life.

“It was important for me to have tattoos relating to my family and my past.

“I think for a long time before I get a tattoo. It needs to relate my life, to my family, to football and my past.

“I would never get a tattoo just for fun.”

Xhaka recently opened up about his past and his relationship to his parents in an interview with the Guardian.

It’s clear that strong familial connections are important to him, and that he draws a lot of inspiration from his upbringing.