Sick of commentators saying their names wrong, Crystal Palace players last week decided to make a TikTok video explaining how to pronounce them correctly. The video blew up on social media and in response language learning app Preply have compiled a list of some of the most mispronounced names in football, with the right way to say them alongside. Prepare to feel ashamed for ever faltering on the names of these ten superstars...
Ilkay Gundogan (Eel-kay Goon-doe-wan)
He may be a German international, but the Manchester City midfielder’s name is of Turkish origin with his surname translating to ‘beginning of the new day’.
Kevin De Bruyne (Kevin de Brer-neh)
Another Manchester City midfielder who has often had his name mispronounced with many fans and pundits saying ‘de broin.’
Granit Xhaka (Grah-nit Scha-ka)
Even Arsenal fans haven't been saying their former captain's name right. People overemphasise the start of his surname when it should be pronounced softer.
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Bruno Fernandes (Broo-no Fur-nand-sh)
While you might consider it to have a similar pronunciation to the surname ‘Hernandez’, it's not even close. The video game FIFA has been leading the way in correcting people on how to actually say the Manchester United midfielder’s name.
Pierre Emile Højbjerg (Pee-air Em-eel Hoy-bee-air)
For those of you that enjoy The Simpsons, if you can remember ‘Bart vs Australia’, think of the barman who slowly says ‘beer’ to Marge as she tries to order a coffee. This is a good way of knowing how to pronounce the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder’s surname.
Lucas Digne (Loo-cah Deen)
When you are thinking of saying the Aston Villa defender’s surname just think of their former manager Dean Smith.
Donny Van de Beek (Donny Fun-der Bake)
This one does surprise us as we all thought that we were getting the ‘Van’ part of the name correct. Despite it being pronounced ‘fun’, the Manchester United man has had nothing of the sort since his move to Old Trafford.
N’Golo Kanté (Nn-Goal-o Con-Tay)
The loveable Frenchman once said that he didn’t care how people pronounced his name, but just think of the current Spurs manager when you say his surname.
Christian Pulisic (Criss-tee-an Pull-i-sick)
The American Chelsea winger often has his name pronounced as though he has an 'itch' but his surname actually ends with an ‘ick’ sound.
José Mourinho (Jo-say Maw-ree-nyow)
At this point, everyone has the trophy-laden manager’s surname pronunciation to a tee, but there is still some misunderstanding regarding his first name. To put it simply, it is what it says on the tin rather than saying ‘hose-ay’.
