Sports Nicknames - El Pipita, Pipa

Gonzalo Higuain

Over the years, we have seen different players inherit different traits from their parents. Some inherit the natural shooting ability, while others possess the agility that their parents once had. While it is common to inherit playing traits and natural abilities, Gonzalo Higuain had a different pathway as he ended up inheriting the nickname that his father once had. Both the father and the son played at the highest level for their country of Argentina; Gonzalo indeed had a better eye for goal, a stronger physique, and a more famous nickname (though both shared the same nickname, it was Higuain who made the nickname famous across the world).




Nickname:

Higuain was the son of the former Argentinian Player Jorge Higuain. In addition to inheriting the love for Football, Higuain inherited a number of other things from his father. Like his father, he was a courageous footballer who gave his absolute best on the playing field. His great striking ability and clinical finishing made him a prolific goal scorer.


El Pipita or Pipa

Soon, the fans began to see the similarities in the playing style and appearances of senior and junior Higuain. Based on that, he was tagged as El Pipita or Pipa. Pipita means "The Pipe." Jorge was called El Pipita because of his pointy nose and facial features. Since Higuain looked relatively similar to his father and had similarities in playing style, the nickname was duly given to the rightful heir of Jorge Higuain.


The Latin Tradition:

It is a common Latin tradition that children are often called by the names of their parents. Thus, inheriting the nickname of one's father is very common in Latin cultures. This could be another reason behind such prominence and acknowledgment for the nickname.


Start to the Career:

Higuain made his professional debut at the Argentinian Club River Plate in 2005. Over the next couple of years, he played only 35 games for the Club while scoring 13 goals. However, a 12 Million Euro transfer to Real Madrid led to a change in fortunes for Higuain.


Glorious Period in Spain:

At Real Madrid, Higuain had his most successful professional stint. Over the next 6 years, Higuain remained an important part of the Club as Real won three La Liga titles in 2007, 2008, and 2012. He finished with 107 goals in 190 appearances for Club.


Italian Period:

A 40 million Euro transfer brought Higuain to Napoli in July 2013. He won the Coppa Italia in his first season there and enjoyed a successful stint before moving to Juventus in 2016.


2016 - 2020:

Between 2016 and 2020, he played for Juventus, AC Milan (Loan), and Chelsea (Loan) before moving to the United States as he was signed by Inter Miami.

At Juventus, he won three Serie-A Titles, two Coppa Italia titles, and was part of the Juventus team that remained runners-up in the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League. He was the leading goal scorer in Serie A in the 2015-16 season. He remained the Juventus MVP of the year for two consecutive seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18.


Chelsea:

In his brief period with Chelsea, he contributed to the UEFA Europa League Title that Chelsea won in 2018-19.


International Career:

Higuain played for Argentina between 2009 and 2018. During the period, he played in 75 games and scored 31 goals. The high points of his career were the Runner's Up finishes at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, 2015 Copa America, and 2016 Copa America.


International Retirement:

In March 2019, Higuain announced his announcement from international Football in a TV interview. However, he has continued to play for Inter Miami in the USA.


Inter Miami:

Currently, Higuain plays for Inter Miami and is also their designated Captain in Major League Soccer.


--

Click for more Sports Nicknames