15 Footballers' names you are pronouncing wrong

Jakub Blaszczykowski’s name is one of the toughest to pronounceIt is hilarious sometimes listening to a commentator struggling to pronounce the name of a footballer, especially when it has more than four or five syllables. And it isn't easy for the fans too, with most of these players getting a nickname which is used instead. Some of these names are so long that they probably give the club workers who put the names on the kits a nightmare every weekend. So here's a handy little guide to help you pronounce some of the toughest names in football.

#1 Wojciech Szczesny

Club: Arsenal (on loan at AS Roma)

Country: Poland

The Arsenal/Roma goalkeeper is more popularly known as ‘Wojo’ among his teammates. But commentators do manage to pronounce his name correctly now and then.

The Polish goalkeeper has spent many years in England at the Arsenal academy and can speak English very well. But unless you’re adept at speaking Polish, you may just say his last name correctly only in the middle of a very violent sneeze.

As for his first name, we’re pretty sure you got it very wrong. It is not pronounced ‘Woj-chi-ech Shez-nee’ at all! 

Correct pronunciation: Voy-check Sh-chez-nee

​