Why is Rodrigo Bentancur nicknamed Lolo? Reason behind Tottenham player’s pet name & why captain Son Heung Min used it

RODRIGO Bentancur is also referred to by the nickname Lolo.

Here we take a look at how this moniker came about — and why Spurs captain Son recently referred to him by it.

Rodrigo Bentancur has apologised for a racial slur towards Son Heung-Min

Why is Rodrigo Bentancur nicknamed Lolo?

Bantancur’s nickname came about as the result of a childhood speech impediment.

One of his younger family members was unable to pronounce the letter ‘R’ properly as a youngster.

Therefore the Tottenham ace’s first name Rodrigo came out rather differently.

Who gave Rodrigo Bentancur the nickname Lolo?

The Tottenham midfielder’s moniker was inadvertently coined by his little brother.

In 2018, Bentancur told DAZN: “Everyone calls me Lolo, because when he was young my little brother couldn’t pronounce ‘Rodrigo’.

“He said ‘Loligo’, so it stayed ‘Lolo’.”

When did Son Heung Min address Rodrigo Bentancur as Lolo?

Bentancur was asked during an interview ahead of the Copa America by a journalist if he could “get me the shirt from the Korean”.

The midfielder asked “Sonny?”, the reporter replied: “Or any other champion?”, to which Bentancur replied: “Or any cousin of Sonny, they all look more or less the same.”

His words sparked a backlash with many people viewing them as racist.

Anti-discrimination campaigners Kick it Out received “a significant number of reports” over the incident, which they sent onto Spurs and the relevant authorities.

Bentancur apologised to Son on Instagram on June 15, 2024 for the “very bad joke”, adding: “You know that I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else.”

Now Son has said: “I’ve spoken with Lolo. He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised.

“Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive.

“We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.

“We’re past this, we’re united, and we will be back together in pre-season to fight for our club as one.”

A Spurs statement added: “Following a comment from Rodrigo Bentancur in an interview video clip and the player’s subsequent public apology, the club has been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome on the matter.

“This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives.

“We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident and that the team can focus on the new season ahead.

“We are extremely proud of our diverse, global fanbase and playing squads. Discrimination of any kind has no place at our Club, within our game or within wider society.”