Senior Barcelona and the Manchester City player formerly known as Joan Roman changed his name to Goku, imitating the Dragon Ball Z Anime cartoon from Japan.
Passing the ranks of Espanyol, Roman moved Manchester City, before returning to Spain with Barca Atletic. He made the first team bench on several occasions and was at one stage a regular for the B side.
Now at Wisla Krakow in Poland, the 30-year-old has changed his name to Goku Roman, as reported by MD. Roman said the name represents positivity for him.
“I chose this name because I feel identified with the values it represents for me: Perseverance, empathy, growing in the face of obstacles, light and positivity,” he remarked.
Roman also explained that his parents had supported the change. He joined Wisla this summer, and has 13 goals and 5 assists so far this season, playing as a forward. Clearly, the name change worked for him at least on the field. The creator of the series, Akiru Toriyama, died recently, prompting a flood of tributes.
