The Impact of Global Legends on Society and Science
There are athletes who transcend the boundaries of the playing field. Their achievements are not limited to trophies, records, and fans’ memories. They find their way into language, science, geography, and even the daily lives of people who may never have watched one of their games. Some become the names of streets and squares; others inspire parents to name their children after them; and still others are transformed into words and expressions we use to describe a situation.
Lionel Messi’s connection to Salvia messi, a plant named after him, provides an interesting opportunity to examine this unique form of posthumous fame. Because when an athlete’s name enters scientific nomenclature, his influence takes on a dimension that cannot be measured by goals or titles. After all, sports don’t just produce stars. They produce symbols that society uses, adapts, and ultimately incorporates into its own everyday life. Messi has been linked to five scientific species named after him, according to Guinness World Records: among others, a lizard, a spider, fossilized species, and a fungus.
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Diego Maradona has also been honored through scientific names. The most notable example is Librelula maradoniana. This is a fossilized dragonfly species from the Jujuy Province of Argentina. Paleontologist Pedro Petrulėvičius named it in honor of Maradona, recognizing his place in soccer history. Dieguito, of course, is in a league of his own, as he even has his own church with devoted followers, and dozens of children in Naples are still named Diego today. Maradona is the very identity of the Neapolitans.
In 2009, twelve new species of microscopic insects from Brazil were named in honor of members of the national team that won the 1958 World Cup, including Pelé. Science, then, can transform a sports legend into part of nature’s nomenclature. Such an honor is not a sports award. It is, however, a different way for a name to remain in history.
The influence is even more immediate when it reaches children. In July 2026, a Reuters report stated that in Peru, hundreds of newborns had been named Haaland, while the names Messi, Neymar, and Cristiano Ronaldo had approximately 30,000 registrations each, according to a spokesperson for the national registry. In Ecuador, data published in June 2026 showed 3,847 children named Neymar, 2,815 named Kylian (after Mbappé), and 1,549 named Lionel. Behind these numbers lie small family stories. A goal, a final, or a championship victory can be the inspiration for a choice that will stay with a person for the rest of their life. In Peru, in fact, there was even a case of a child being named “Mundial,” which means “World Cup” in Spanish.
Perhaps the most striking form of influence is language. Maradona didn’t just leave us with the famous “Hand of God.” The phrase has entered everyday usage to describe an unexpected intervention that changes everything, while the “Goal of the Century” has become synonymous with a feat that is almost unrepeatable.
David Beckham carved out a unique place in popular culture with the phrase “Bend it like Beckham,” which was associated with his ability to put a spectacular curve on the ball. The phrase also gained popularity through the 2002 film of the same name, making the leap from soccer to cinema and into broader pop culture. “Do it like Beckham,” then, is the phrase that inspires you to achieve great things in life.
In basketball, Michael Jordan became the benchmark for athletic perfection. The advertising slogan “Be Like Mike” transcended the boundaries of basketball and became a symbol of ambition and the desire to emulate an idol. Furthermore, the term “Jordanesque” is used in English to describe a move reminiscent of his unique style. His name doesn’t simply describe a player, but a level of performance that seems almost unattainable.
In 2012, the Swedish verb “zlatanera,” derived from the name of soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimović, was officially added to the Swedish dictionary by the Swedish Language Council. It means “to dominate,” “to crush,” or “to do something with tremendous success or power” both on and off the field, in honor of the great soccer player who put his country on the map.
Naming stadiums is perhaps the most recognizable form of public honor. The stadium in Naples was named Stadio Diego Armando Maradona after the Argentine’s death in 2020. In Amsterdam, Ajax’s stadium is called the Johan Cruijff Arena, in honor of Johan Cruijff, a man who changed the way we think about soccer.These names are more than just signs. They connect a place to the memory of a person and turn every match into a reminder of his legacy.
The same is true of streets, squares, and sports facilities named after prominent figures. This recognition takes on an everyday dimension: a resident might walk past a spot honoring an athlete without even realizing how much history lies behind its name.
Messi, Maradona, Pelé, Cruyff, Jordan, and so many others no longer belong solely to those who cheered them on from the stands or celebrated their achievements in front of a television. They also belong to those who will come across their names years later—on a plaque, in a story, in a word spoken spontaneously, without anyone needing to explain who they were.An athlete’s true immortality lies not in the trophies he has lifted, but in the lives he has touched, in the everyday life of society, and in the stories that will continue to be told about him.
