7 most iconic hairstyles in football history
Football is popular across the globe both for sporting and financial reasons. For years now, footballers have been seen not merely as athletes but social figures of great importance. They are constantly being observed both on and off the pitch and each aspect of their personality is well-known by their followers.
The way they live their lives, the products they use, the issues they raise their voices for and the campaigns they lead or donate to, influence their fans. However, before one digs deep into the life of their favorite footballer, what one naturally tends to notice is the physical appearance of them all.
For some it's the way they look that stands out, for others it is how they groom themselves that does. One way footballers have been setting trends for generations is through their hairstyles. It is a trend that is easily transmitted from the player to the fans and only adds to the memory. So today we take a look at seven of the most iconic hairstyles that footballers have had over the years:
#7 Romania - World Cup 1998
What could be more iconic than a player going blonde, you ask? In what turned out to be Romania's final appearance at the World Cup in 1998, the whole team dyed their hair blonde! Unlike today, the Romanian team of 1990s led by Gheorge Hagi was quite an exciting and challenging opposition to face.
They qualified for the knockout stages in three consecutive World Cups from 1990 to 1998. Little did they know that a World Cup appearance in 1998 was the beginning of a drought and the team would be remembered for bowing out in comical fashion.
In that edition, Romania overcame Colombia and England with back-to-back wins to qualify for the last 16. As once revealed by their goalkeeper, Bogdan Stelea, the team had placed a bet to do something crazy if they qualified from the group. That's how the golden generation turned blonde while bowing out.
When Romania 🇷🇴 went fully blonde 👱♂️ during the 1998 World Cup #TBT https://t.co/kTBUSluf04
Even though the gesture was intended to enhance team spirit, it led to chaos and uncertainty in the Romanian camp. Their coach, Anghel Iordanescu, was a superstitious match and pleaded with the team to change their hair color back again, believing they had angered the Gods.
Well, anger the gods or not, they did lose their last 16 game to Croatia, albeit due to a penalty and a narrow scoreline of 1-0. The blonde brigade was surely a bizarre conclusion to Romania's brilliant decade in world football.
#6 Noodle Hair CR7
An athlete like Cristiano Ronaldo who has built his reputation through loads of hard work and consistent effort doesn't need to care whether luck is on his side or not. But if his intuition tells him that it's all in the hair, then Ronaldo might as well preserve his golden noodles.
The Portuguese star is a global sensation with the highest following of any account on Instagram and everything he does is closely observed. He is known for changing his hairstyles from time to time and the Noodle hair is special to him, he admits:
“It’s like the hair, but people say, why don’t you cut the hair? Its a disaster. And honestly it is. But this is my natural hair *strokes hair* you know? It’s giving me luck. Why cut it now if it’s giving good luck? Leave it.”
Ronaldo reserves this hair for big occasions and big games, and he does not disappoint. Back in the 2017 Champions League final, the forward struck two goals in a 4-1 victory against Juventus. The following year, 'Noodle Hair' was back again saving Real Madrid from a resurgent PSG who looked likely to make a comeback in Round of 16.
Noodle Hair Ronaldo: The Greatest To Ever Do It 🐐 https://t.co/oBA7rgCSSR
In the quarter-finals, Ronaldo redid his hair just before the Juventus game and scored "THAT" goal against Gigi Buffon. The hairstyle might not be the best we have seen in football, but CR7 has only gone and made it iconic.
#5 Paul Gascoigne
Balance, flare, charisma and technique, he had it all. Paul Gascoigne was one of the most exciting and gifted players to play for England. At the time of the Euros 96, where "It's Coming Home" chant was first born with the Three Lions song, Gascoigne only went and cemented his legendary status.
Gazza, as the England star was popularly known, had dyed his hair for the tournament and looked apart. The tournament was being organized on home soil so the Three Lions did not have to play the qualifications, instead they played multiple friendlies.
Gascoigne's hairstyle was made more iconic with his brilliant goal against Scotland and the dentist chair celebration that followed. With his left-foot, receiving the ball from the left-flank, he flicked it over his head and towards the goalkeeper, and hit the volley with his right.
Paul Gascoigne vs Scotland, 1996. #Greatest90sGoals https://t.co/4ULkuYNtwZ
The England midfielder was playing for Rangers in those days and for that goal he beat his team-mate Andy Goram in goal. As the crowd erupted and went nuts, Gascoigne lay on the pitch, while Alan Shearer and two others squirted bottles in his mouth.
Phil Foden paid tribute to Gazza at Euro 2020 when the UEFA tournament was again being organized on home soil. He got his hair dyed blonde in a similar fashion and earned the nickname "Stockport Gazza".