When it comes to player comparisons in football, fans and pundits usually stick to the tried-and-true formula: teammates, rivals, or legends of the past.
You know, the “he’s the next Paolo Maldini” kind of stuff. But every so often, someone decides to spice things up—throw the rulebook out the window and compare a player to something entirely unexpected.
Enter X user TheFalseNein, who looked at Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori and thought, you know who he reminds me of? Shrek’s Donkey. Or more specifically, Donkey after he drinks the Fairy Godmother’s potion and turns into a handsome stallion.
Yes, you read that correctly. Not a teammate. Not a footballing great. Not even a human being. This bold observer decided that Calafiori’s true counterpart is an animated animal from a beloved fairytale franchise. And frankly, it’s the kind of unhinged creativity that makes football twitter the wild, unpredictable place we love.
It all started when the user took to X and posted a now-viral tweet: “I don’t know how to explain it but this is Calafiori.” No context. No clarification. Just an image of Stallion Donkey, in his radiating charm.
As you might expect, the tweet left many scratching their heads. How does one even begin to draw parallels between an up-and-coming Italian defender and an animated horse?
Thankfully after a bit of pondering and dwelling on this comparison, the same user decided to elaborate on his comparison, “This is Donkey from Shrek after he takes a potion to become handsome. It about how Calafiori has the potential to be a donkey and a stallion at the same time…also for some reason it looks like him.”
The comparison might hold some peculiar merit. Stallion Donkey—majestic, confident, and undeniably suave—could be seen as a metaphor for Calafiori. The defender has made only 12 appearances for the Gunners this season, starting in 9, and while Fotmob gave him an average rating of 7.12, he hasn’t been the most consistent of performers and is still finding his feet in the Premier League.
This raw talent waiting to be converted is what compares him to Shrek’s Donkey, focusing on the fictional character before and after he drank the magic potion to become a stallion.
Social media was somewhat on-board with this comparison, with users chiming in with absolute conviction, declaring it spot-on without needing further explanation.
Apart from this, the tweet also talks about a direct look comparison, something which I see more than the football-related take. With Calafiori’s flowing locks and undeniable charisma, it’s not hard to see why someone might connect him to a character known for his dramatic glow-up, who also has a flowing mane and an elegant look.
Of course, the on-field comparison is still very much up for debate. For now, though, we can appreciate the creativity that brought this bizarre meme to life. And for many, everytime they see Calafiori, they might just see the Donkey-turned-Stallion from Shrek.