{"id":549511,"date":"2026-03-20T18:20:25","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T18:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/549511\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T18:20:25","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T18:20:25","slug":"the-best-and-worst-soccer-haircuts-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/549511\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best and Worst Soccer Haircuts of All Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Like it or not, soccer<\/a> and fashion are inseparable\u2014especially in the modern game, where every top-level player is under the global spotlight, both on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n

Off the field, players have long used fashion to make a statement, stand out from the crowd or simply flaunt their one-of-a-kind style.<\/p>\n

On it, they\u2019re confined to the strips of their clubs and countries, so many turn to their hairstyles to do the talking instead.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s outrageous braids, gravity-defying mohawks, sculpted ponytails, or looks so wild they defy description, these are the haircuts that have defined soccer\u2019s most memorable personalities\u2014the ones fans can\u2019t help but remember, for better or worse, long after the players have switched things up.<\/p>\n

David Beckham\u2019s Mohawk\"David<\/p>\n

David Beckham’s mohawk is infamous. | Getty<\/p>\n

David Beckham didn\u2019t just play soccer\u2014he turned it into a global fashion statement, becoming the sport\u2019s first true player-celebrity.<\/p>\n

From braids to shaved heads, he experimented with his hair over the years, but none was more iconic\u2014or eyebrow-raising\u2014than his 2001 mohawk.<\/p>\n

At the height of his fame, Beckham shaved a mohawk into his head\u2014a look the Premier League had never seen. He famously tried to keep it under wraps from manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who later demanded it be shaved off before a game for being too flashy. <\/p>\n

It was an early spark of friction in a relationship that would famously boil over, culminating in Ferguson kicking a boot at Beckham and the midfielder leaving Manchester United<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ronaldo\u2019s 2002 World Cup Haircut\"Ronaldo<\/p>\n

Ronaldo’s 2002 World Cup haircut was wild. | IMAGO\/Ulmer<\/p>\n

When Ronaldo Naz\u00e1rio stepped onto the pitch for Brazil at the 2002 World Cup <\/a>with a completely shaved head … except for a lone patch at the front, the footballing world collectively did a double take.<\/p>\n

According to Ronaldo, the eccentric trim was designed to distract the media from his lingering leg injury\u2014and it worked spectacularly.<\/p>\n

Everyone and their dog was talking about that haircut, with kids across the globe copying it (with or without their parents\u2019 permission). The trend only grew as Ronaldo scored eight goals, including two in the final, to carry Brazil to World Cup glory.<\/p>\n

And now? Who even remembers that he was injured at all?<\/p>\n

Taribo West\u2019s Green Braids\"Taribo<\/p>\n

Taribo West’s braids were iconic. | IMAGO\/Uwe Kraft<\/p>\n

Mention Taribo West to any soccer fan, and the first thing that probably comes to mind is his hairstyle\u2014shaved on the sides, with bright green braids twisted into a ponytail and two or three wild bunches on top.<\/p>\n

It was so outrageous that many forget the former Nigeria international was actually an exceptional player. A Ligue 1 champion with Auxerre in France, West also starred for Inter and AC Milan and had a brief stint in the Premier League <\/a>with Derby County\u2014though that chapter is far less memorable than his unforgettable hair.<\/p>\n

Carlos Valderrama\u2019s Afro\"Carlos<\/p>\n

Carlos Valderrama’s afro was beautiful. | IMAGO\/Uwe Kraft<\/p>\n

Marouane Fellaini, Marcelo, Ren\u00e9 Higuita, David Luiz\u2014many professional soccer players have rocked a solid afro over the years, but none were quite as big or beautiful as that of Colombian legend Carlos Valderrama.<\/p>\n

His perfectly frizzy, springy and impeccably coiffed \u2018fro\u2014which framed his face to perfection\u2014was nothing short of legendary.<\/p>\n

Neymar: Pretty in Pink\"Neymar\"<\/p>\n

Neymar only had pink hair for one game. | Getty\/Franck Fife<\/p>\n

Neymar\u2019s barber must be the busiest in the world, given how often the Brazilian superstar has changed his hairstyle throughout his career.<\/p>\n

Many of those looks have faded into obscurity, but not the pink-dyed style he sported briefly in 2020 at Paris Saint-Germain<\/a>. Pundits hated it, and Neymar only played a single game with it before shaving it off\u2014but everyone still remembers it.<\/p>\n

Roberto Baggio\u2019s Ponytail\"Roberto<\/p>\n

Roberto Baggio was known for his ponytail. | Newscom\/IMAGO<\/p>\n

Roberto Baggio is best remembered for four things in his career: Being truly exceptional at soccer<\/a>, being perpetually injured, missing the penalty that handed Brazil the 1994 World Cup, and his hairstyle\u2014which earned him the nickname \u201cThe Divine Ponytail.\u201d<\/p>\n

Was it everyone\u2019s cup of tea? No. Was it unique? Absolutely. And memorable? Without a doubt. After all, \u201cThe Divine Short Back and Sides\u201d just wouldn\u2019t have the same ring, would it?<\/p>\n

Chris Waddle\u2019s Mullet\"Chris<\/p>\n

Magic Chris and his magic mullet. | Mark Leech\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Mullets may be all the rage with rugby players these days, but former England, Tottenham<\/a> and Marseille star Chris Waddle was rocking one long before it hit the world of egg-chasing.<\/p>\n

His glorious, flowing mane\u2014clearly blow-dried to perfection\u2014puts the rest to shame.<\/p>\n

Rodrigo \u201cRat Tail\u201d Palacio\"Rodrigo<\/p>\n

Rodrigo Palacio sported a rat-tail during his career. | Getty\/Giuseppe Cottini<\/p>\n

Rodrigo Palacio famously missed a glorious chance for Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, just minutes before Mario G\u00f6tze would go on to score the winner for Germany.<\/p>\n

And even worse? He did it sporting his trademark rat-tail haircut. For those unfamiliar, that means a short cut all over\u2014Palacio even shaved most of it, making it even wilder\u2014with just a few strands of long hair at the back braided to look like a tail.<\/p>\n

Why, Rodrigo? Just why?<\/p>\n

Paul Gascoigne: The Rangers Raver\"Pau;<\/p>\n

Gascoigne’s white hair is iconic. | IMAGO\/WEREK<\/p>\n

When Paul Gascoigne was unveiled as a Rangers player in 1995, he did so sporting a brand-new look: a same-length, all-over bleached-blond cut that looked like it had been lifted straight out of Danny Boyle\u2019s Trainspotting.<\/p>\n

The very epitome of mid-\u201890s club culture, Gascoigne would keep the look for a while at Ibrox\u2014and, most famously, with England at Euro \u201996.<\/p>\n

It was during that tournament that he scored one of the greatest goals the competition has ever seen, before celebrating with the iconic \u201cdentist\u2019s chair\u201d routine. The celebration was a knowing nod to the pre-tournament controversy in which Gascoigne and his England teammates were photographed in a bar, slumped in a chair while alcohol was poured into their mouths\u2014a moment that, fittingly, mirrored his unapologetic haircut at the time.<\/p>\n

Ratinho\u2019s Shaved Soccer Ball\"Ratinho\"<\/p>\n

Ratinho\u2019s soccer ball hair cut was interesting to say the least. | IMAGO\/Latinphoto<\/p>\n

Look closely at the photo above and you\u2019ll spot a man kicking a soccer ball with what appears to be a soccer-ball pattern shaved into his head.<\/p>\n

That man is former Brazilian player Ratinho, who sported the daring look while playing for Remo in 2015. Sadly, thanks to the shape of his head and some very wonky lines, it looked less like a bold design choice and more like he\u2019d been the victim of one of the Jackass crew\u2019s infamous sneak-clipper attacks.<\/p>\n

Abel Xavier\"Abel<\/p>\n

Abel Xavier. | Getty\/Ralf Pollack<\/p>\n

Thanks to his bleach-blond hair and beard, former Liverpool<\/a> and Everton<\/a> star Abel Xavier was unmistakable at the best of times.<\/p>\n

But he took things to a whole new level during his brief stint in the Bundesliga with Hannover 96, when he turned that trademark look into a wild braid\u2013mohawk\u2013mutton-chop combo that made him look less like Guy Fieri and more like a battle-hardened sea captain straight out of a Pirates of the Caribbean movie.<\/p>\n

As for his hair at LA Galaxy … well, let\u2019s just say even we can\u2019t begin to explain what he was thinking.<\/p>\n

Paul Pogba\u2019s Cheetah Print\"Paul<\/p>\n

That is some hair. | IMAGO<\/p>\n

From having his own name engraved into the side of his head to his blue mohawk, Paul Pogba has sported some daring looks over the years. None, however, were more memorable than the leopard-print design he debuted for Juventus in early 2016.<\/p>\n

Love it or hate it, you\u2019ve got to admit: It was oddly impressive. Props to the barber.<\/p>\n

Vagner Love\u2019s Signature Braids\"Vagner<\/p>\n

Vagner Love’s haircut was as iconic as his name. | IMAGO\/Ulmer<\/p>\n

Great player, great name and an equally great haircut \u2014 with his signature blue, or sometimes red, braids, V\u00e1gner Love became one of the most instantly recognizable players of the 21st century, even though he spent most of his career in Brazil and Russia.<\/p>\n

All in all? Great.<\/p>\n

Mario Balotelli\u2019s Mad Mohawks\"Mario<\/p>\n

Mario Balotelli often sported a mohawk. | Getty\/Richard Sellers\/Sportsphoto<\/p>\n

From lighting fireworks in bathrooms to throwing darts at Manchester City<\/a> youth players, Mario Balotelli has never done anything quietly\u2014and that includes his hair. Over the years, he\u2019s rocked mohawks of every kind: All blond, tribal patterns and long, punk-rock styles.<\/p>\n

But his most iconic look came at Euro 2012, when he sported a razor-thin mohawk with frosted tips.<\/p>\n

Donning the look, Balotelli made sure the world got a good view in the semifinal against Germany. After scoring, he ripped off his shirt and stood in the middle of the pitch, muscles tensed, every eye and camera fixed on him\u2014exactly the way he likes it.<\/p>\n

Lionel Messi Goes Blond\"Lionel<\/p>\n

What have you done, Lionel? | Getty\/Craig Williamson<\/p>\n

Lionel Messi bleaching his hair blond in 2016 wasn\u2019t on anyone\u2019s bingo card, but it happened. The Argentine star later revealed he chose the look as a fresh start after a difficult period, which saw him face tax charges and briefly retire from international duty with Argentina.<\/p>\n

Messi kept the hair for only a few months and made a near-immediate return to the national team\u2014so not so much a fresh start, more of a phase.<\/p>\n

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