The bizarre reason why Liverpool star Darwin Nunez is forced to wear different name on his Uruguay shirt

Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez is forced to wear a completely different name on his shirt when playing international football because of a bizarre rule.

Nunez, 24, is enjoying an excellent second season with Liverpool, already managing 11 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

His energetic and sometimes unpredictable performances have caught the eye for Jurgen Klopp's side, and he could have had an even greater goals return – had he not hit the woodwork nine times already in the Premier League this season.

Nunez set a new league record in Liverpool's 4-1 win over Chelsea, striking the woodwork on four separate occasions.

He is now a firm fan favourite at Anfield, with Liverpool supporters regularly heard chanting 'Nunez, Nunez' during matches.

That is despite him wearing a different name on his shirt.

Nunez is one of the few Premier League players who doesn't wear his surname on the back of his shirt, instead opting for 'Darwin' on his kit.

But he isn't allowed the same option when playing for his national side, Uruguay.

Instead, he has to wear a shirt with 'D. Nunez' on the back.

According to TikToker dantalksfooty, Uruguay have an usual policy with their kits, which require every player to have the first letter of their birth name and their full surname on their shirt.

Nunez is not the only Liverpool player who doesn't wear his surname on his shirt.

Diogo Jota, full name Diogo Jose Teixeira da Silva, wears 'Diogo J' instead of Silva.

Darwin Nunez wears 'D. Nunez' on his shirt for Uruguay (Image: Getty)

When he began his football career, Jota would request the name on the back of his shirt to differentiate himself from other players in the squad with the name Silva, which is the most common surname in Portugal.

Meanwhile, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk wears his birth name on his shirt instead of his surname.

According to his uncle on his mother's side, Steven Fo Sieeuw, Van Dijk dropped his second name because of a family feud.

"His dad split with his mother and his three children, including Virgil," Fo Sieeuw told The Sun in 2018.

"The truth is his dad was not around for so many important years and it is his mother who is the real hero of this story.

"You don't take your dad's name off your shirt without a reason and Virgil has made it very clear how he feels."

Topics: Liverpool, Football, Darwin Nunez, Premier League, Uruguay

Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan is Editorial Lead at SPORTbible. He has previously worked for Sky Sports News, MailOnline and Reach covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA. Tested daily as a Liverpool fan in a Manchester office.

@rory_ocallaghan