Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez appears to have been christened with a new nickname over the international break.
Nunez has had an excellent start to the season with Liverpool, and continued his good form with a goal from the penalty spot for his country last night.
His performances on the pitch – although often still chaotic – have become much more graceful and refined. That may have something to do with the nickname that looks to have been given to him by his national team.
Posting a picture of Nunez celebrating his goal on Instagram this morning, Uruguay captioned the snap with ‘Pantera’ which translates as ‘Panther.’
It’s actually the second time Uruguay have used the moniker. A Twitter post from Monday announcing the Liverpool man’s arrival for national team duty also carried the La Pantera tag. Darwin Nunez – The Panther – we love it.
La Pantera strikes again
The panther is a super nickname for Nunez, which really does his style of play justice.
Fierce, a killer in-front of goal and lightning quick, the Reds No.9 couldn’t have asked for a more fitting description.
He lived up to that billing for Uruguay last night. Nunez needed ice in his veins to bury a 91st-minute penalty in-front of a baying Colombian crowd, but he stuck it away no problem.
Having taken over the mantle from Luis ‘El Pistolero’ Suarez and Edinson ‘El Matador’ Cavani, Nunez’s nickname signals his new-found importance to Uruguay.
Although he hasn’t quite lived up to it yet, there’s an expectation that the 24-year-old could be about to explode.
Hopefully this is a case of Darwin growing into his nickname and becoming the player we all know he can be.
With any new name, there’ll be a bedding in period to see if it sticks. If Nunez can continue his scoring streak over the coming weeks and months, it surely will. La Pantera, our No.9.
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