Finland winger Topi Keskinen’s two loves are Wayne Rooney and fishing and so passionate is he about them that he combined the two in a tattoo.
Keskinen, who plays for Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen, has a self-designed image of the former England captain holding a fishing rod etched on to his forearm.
The 21-year-old, whose mother is an Everton fan, is dreaming of one day being able to meet his hero.
“My mum, she’s an Everton fan and Rooney played there. And then he made a move to Man United and I started watching Man United games,” he said ahead of Finland’s Nations League match with England in Helsinki on Sunday.
“He was like an idol to me. I was watching his highlights in every game that he played in his career, so he’s my favourite player in my life.
“So I tattooed him with fishing, because I like fishing also.
“It’s my two favourite things combined in one tattoo.”
Keskinen was speaking ahead of Finland’s Nations League game against England (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Keskinen has been a key player for Aberdeen on their seven-match winning start to the season following his summer move from HJK Helsinki.
And his eyes will have lit up watching England’s defensive display in their 2-1 Nations League defeat to Greece on Thursday.
He thinks his side will be able to create chances against Lee Carsley’s men and knows they will have to take them.
“We’re going to get some chances in the game. We just have to make some right decisions and be lethal,” he said.
“Of course they conceded a couple of goals and two goals offside. Of course we can score from them.
“I think we’re going to get some chances because they didn’t defend that well when that came.
“There’s some quality in that team, so it’s not easy. When we get the chance, we have to do well.
“We can hurt them and we have the home support. I think it’s going to be a little different game than the first one.
“Hopefully we keep the ball more, and if we play against a big country we have to score from the chance.
“We’re not going to get them that much, so we have to believe in ourselves.”
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