He may have represented Switzerland 73 times at international level, but Valon Behrami was born and raised in Kosovo.
Life as a child in Mitrovica in the late 1980s and early 1990s was tough, with the city torn asunder by the Kosovo War – an armed conflict between Serbian and Albanian ethnic groups.
Indeed, it wasn’t long before Behrami and his parents (all of Albanian descent) upped sticks and moved to Switzerland to begin a new life for themselves.
Of course, little Valon followed his dream of becoming a professional footballer by working his way up through the Swiss leagues before leaving his adopted homeland to play for the likes of Lazio, West Ham, Fiorentina, Napoli and latterly, Watford.
But he never forgot his roots, as can be seen in his enormous new leg tattoo – an impressive piece that charts his entire childhood growing up in Mitrovica…
Photos: @ValonBera/Twitter
The Mitrovica bridge, the planes, the bullets, the rubble, the despair, the ensuing peace, the football; it’s all in there…
All my life in a masterpiece by @gianluca_tattoo thanks for everything ❤️🇽🇰 pic.twitter.com/LtyQ9s893F
— Valon Behrami (@ValonBera) August 7, 2017
Fine work.