Hundreds have tattoos inspired by Conor McGregor, Lionel Messi and Kobe Bryant

The Dubliner’s famous inks rank eighth in a list that was topped by Lionel Messi and includes such names as Kobe Bryant, Diego Maradona and Neymar Jr.

Research carried out by Betsperts revealed the athletes inspiring the most fan tattoos by analysing the number of Instagram posts for the athlete's name followed by the word 'tattoo'.

McGregor takes eighth place with 748 Instagram posts featuring tattoos dedicated to the MMA fighter but Messi has been crowned the footballer inspiring the most tattoos, with 9,863 Instagram posts.

Basketball star Kobe comes in second with 7,260 while the late, great Diego Maradona inspired 6,107.

Another footballer Neymar Jr has 2,191 while Michael Jordan’s total is 1,374.

Cristiano Ronaldo has prompted 1,336 tattoos while Muhammad Ali has 832.

After McGregor LeBron James has 526 while the recently deceased Pele rounds out the top10 with 443.

Research also revealed that Floyd Mayweather ranks 15th in the sports stars inspiring the most fans tattoos, with 64 Instagram posts, whilst Tyson Fury takes 16th place with 51 fan tattoos featured on Instagram.

The female athlete inspiring the most tattoos is Ronda Rousey, with the wrestler inspiring 13 tattoos. This is also the 30th highest total of any of the sports stars profiled.

McGregor is well-known for his extensive collection of body art.

They have has become a defining feature of his appearance in the UFC octagon, with his arms, chest, back, and legs adorned with intricate designs and striking imagery.

Among the various tattoos that adorn the fighter’s body, the one that stands out is the crucifix on his neck that extends into a thorny helix running vertically along his back.

'The Mystic Mac' has a tattoo of a tiger on his stomach, which he has described in the past as a symbol of courage.

Of course, McGregor is not shy of showing off his tats which are part of his carefully crafted image which also features displays of his enormous wealth.

In one of his most recent social media posts he made sure to wear his cosiest clothes for a long-haul flight to Las Vegas.

Smiling for the camera he was pictured in a matching white Givenchy tracksuit that costs €1,470 paired with a black cap from the same brand, which can be purchased for an eye-watering €395.

He also flashed his ultra-rare green Patek Philippe 5905 watch, which is just one of 25 pieces made for Weir & Sons Jewellers in Dublin. The Crumlin native reportedly forked out around $100,000 (€93,555) for the luxury model.