In brief
Erling Haaland, the 26‑year‑old forward for Manchester City, has shed the long blond hair that defined his earlier career, opting for a clean buzz‑cut before the club’s first Premier League match this season. The change was unveiled on social media, where the Norwegian striker posted a side‑by‑side of his pre‑and post‑trim looks and teased that the new style might fuel more goals. The buzz‑cut drew mixed reactions from the football world, with teammate Jack Grealish, former club manager Pep Guardiola and whether guitarist Noel Gallagher all chimed in. Critics and fans alike will watch closely as Haaland heads into his fixture against Bournemouth to see if a new haircut coincides with a fresh run of form. The article also touches on Haaland’s earlier styling choices, highlights his role in the game, and comments on how personal image is sometimes used as a rallying cry in sports culture.
Manchester City’s prolific striker Erling Haaland said goodbye to his trademark blond man‑bun in his first Instagram post of the new Premier League season.
The 26‑year‑old was captured cutting his hair to a military buzz‑cut at a local barber shop before the club’s opening match against Bournemouth at 14:00 BST, hoping the fresh look will help spark his scoring run this campaign.
Prior to the clip, Haaland shared a montage of his historical hairstyles – from his long‑haired days at Borussia Dortmund to potential buzz‑cut sketches – joking that his change could signal a new era for his game.
The buzz‑cut prompted a wave of reactions from the football community: teammate Jack Grealish laughed that Haaland now looked “about ten years old,” and former manager Pep Guardiola admitted he “loved” the change. Noel Gallagher, the former Liverpool icon, also praised the style, remarking that it made Haaland look younger.
When Haaland reached out to former Sweden legend Zlatan Ibrahimović to share his new haircut, the veteran was not amused, accusing the striker of losing a bet and demanding he block his contact details.
With the buzz‑cut in place and the season starting, all eyes on Haaland will be sparkling for insights into whether his new look translates into bigger goals at the weekend’s kickoff against Bournemouth.
