Iconic football haircuts (2024)

(Image credit: Alamy)

From the brilliant to the plain bizarre, there have been some truly iconic football haircuts over the years.

Here, FourFourTwo takes a look at a wide-ranging selection, taking in afros, ponytails and, er, tropical fruit.

Let's (hair)cut to the chase and begin the countdown, shall we?

(Image credit: Alamy)

32. Paul Scharner

From the entirely standard to the borderline absurd, former Austria midfielder Paul Scharner certainly got through his fair share of hairdos during his playing career.

We’re particular fans of his half-black, half-blond effort from his time at Wigan Athletic – which made him look rather a lot like a mint humbug (leftfield Halloween costume or just a happy accident?).

(Image credit: PA)

31. David Luiz

Watching the Premier League, you always knew when David Luiz was on the pitch – not just because he seemed uncontrollably disposed to doing something a bit crazy, but thanks to his almighty mop of hair.

If you’ve never been left thinking, ‘That’s Sideshow Bob’ at the sight of the ex-Chelsea, Arsenal and Brazil defender, we can only assume you’ve never watched The Simpsons.

(Image credit: Alamy)

30. Marouane Fellaini

Another big-haired former Premier League player prone to moments of madness, Belgian midfield giant Marouane Fellaini added a solid few inches to an already considerable frame with his trademark afro.

That’s the look Fellaini will be best-remembered for, but we can’t include him without touching on this photoshoot he did for GQ in 2018. Wow.

(Image credit: Alamy)

29. Rodrigo Palacio

Ok, this might just be the worst haircut in football history – but precisely for that reason, it’s an iconic one.

What was Inter and Argentina striker Rodrigo Palacio thinking when he combined a buzzcut with a rattail? And not just any old rattail – a braided one! Isn’t Milan supposed to be the fashion capital of the world…?

(Image credit: Alamy)

28. Radja Nainggolan

From buzzcut to mohawk, Radja Nainggolan has tended to be quite economical in the hair department – but that doesn’t mean he’s not got creative up there.

Case in point: this curious braided (and bleached) folicular creation which transformed the ex-Roma, Inter and Belgium man from a defensive midfielder into a stegosaurus.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

27. Carles Puyol

One of the finest centre-halves of his generation, Carles Puyol’s curls were a staple of the Barcelona and Spain back fours for many a year.

There was something quite majestic about the legendary one-club man making a full-blooded tackle or rising for a towering header (as he did to put his country into the 2010 World Cup final – which they won), his knight-like locks flopping as he did.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

26. Gervinho

We’ve been sat here for hours trying to figure out the physics of Gervingo’s forehead-flaunting hairstyle from his Arsenal days. In any case, it’s a unique look and one it’s hard to see anyone else attempting to pull off.

To be fair to the ex-Ivory Coast winger, though, he wasn’t blessed with the greatest of hairlines (as evidenced by this incredible pic from his time at Roma).

(Image credit: Getty Images)

25. Vagner Love

Capped 20 times by Brazil, Vagner Love spent a large chunk of his career in Russia, playing for CSKA Moscow – and he had the hair to match.

Blue braids? Why the hell not?! Red ones? Also great (although, disappointingly, to our knowledge, the cult favourite frontman never combined the two).

(Image credit: Alamy)

24. Andrea Pirlo

Would Andrea Pirlo, Italy’s metronomic playmaker of the first quarter of the 21st century, have been as majestic to watch had he been bald?

FFT says no. When Pirlo was in full flow, so were his luscious locks – and it was hard not to envy him a bit, to be honest.

(Image credit: Alamy)

23. Neymar

Brazil’s biggest icon of the 2010s, Neymar has had more than his fair share of bold trims throughout his career – from prodigious wonderkid at Santos to bona fide superstar at PSG.

Two stand out for us, however: the sort of mohawk-mullet mish-mash he sported during his Santos days, and the very pink number he rocked much later on.

(Image credit: Alamy)

22. Djibril Cisse

Wow, where do we even begin with the many outlandish looks of former France, Liverpool and Auxerre striker Djibril Cisse?

From bleached braids to a truly bizarre trim which made it appear as though he’d just had a run-in with Spider-man, Cisse rarely did anything but ordinary with his hair.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

21. Freddie Ljungberg

Freddie Ljungberg’s voluminous spiky ‘do ensured he stood out as soon as he arrived at Arsenal in the summer of 1998.

And before long, the Gunners’ favourite Swede left no one in any doubt as to who he played for, adding a vibrant red streak – which he showed off during the North London giants’ 2001/02 double-winning campaign, and at that summer’s World Cup.

(Image credit: Alamy)

20. Bobby Charlton

We’ve got to admit we can’t see the combover ever coming back into fashion (was it even in fashion back in the 60s), but Bobby Charlton made it iconic.

The late Manchester United great, England’s greatest player of all time, famously sported this trim as helped his country to 1966 World Cup glory.

(Image credit: Getty)

19. Edgar Davids

Yes, the glasses (which he had to wear due to glaucoma) upped the uniqueness of Edgard Davids’ look, but the former Ajax, Juventus and Tottenham midfielder was impossible to miss even before he started wearing them.

The dreadlocked Dutchman – a 1994/95 Champions League winner with Ajax – was one of the Netherlands’ standout performers at the 1998 World Cup, helping his nation to the semi-finals.

(Image credit: Getty)

18. Rudi Voller

West Germany’s foremost frontman of the 80s, Rudi Voller’s goals played a major part in a memorable decade for his nation – culminating in victory at the 1990 World Cup.

And he was instantly recognisable for his fantastic perm (which he – unsurprisingly – didn’t appreciate having ‘styled’ with Frank Rijkaard’s saliva at Euro 88).

(Image credit: Getty Images)

17. Jairzinho

Now, that’s what we call an afro. Rarely has a World Cup winner looked as downright cool as inimitable Brazilian wideman Jairzinho.

Ok, so he grew his hair out after his country had lifted the trophy in 1970 – but by the time the 1974 tournament rolled around, ‘O Furacao’ (‘The Hurricane’) had become all the more iconic.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

16. George Best

You could say that 50% of footballers in the 70s had the same hairstyle, so what’s the big deal? And you’d be right – but most of them weren’t George Best (well, only one of them was, quite obviously).

We don’t really need to explain this one; it’s just an utterly iconic look, belonging to an utterly iconic player.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

15. Marek Hamsik

Slovakia’s greatest footballer of all time, Marek Hamsik stuck pretty rigidly to one hairdo throughout his career: an absolutely magnificent mohawk.

And, unlike some (seemingly), the former Napoli midfielder didn’t go for a bold look to distract from a lack of ability; he was a seriously good player, setting all-time appearance records for club a country.

See Also

25 Beautiful Korean Hairstyles For Men In 2024

(Image credit: Alamy)

14. Rigobert Song

An indisputable legend of the African game, long-serving Cameroon captain Rigobert Song was a rock at the back who rocked some serious hair.

Mainly, though, we’re here for the bleached dreadlocks and beard combo that the ex-Liverpool man took to the pitch with towards the end of his career. Oof.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

13. Ruud Gullit

We’re not saying Ruud Gullit was captain of the Netherland’s 1988 European Championship-winning side because he had the best hair – but we’re also not saying that’s not why he got the armband.

Anyway, what more is there to say? One of the greatest players of his generation. One of the most magnificent mops. (Great ‘tache, too.)

(Image credit: Alamy)

12. Abel Xavier

It’s a bold enough move to bleach your hair; it’s probably an excessively bold one to do that while combining a mohawk with braids.

But that was just Abel Xavier – the Euro 2000 semi-finalist Portugal defender who also had the audacity to move directly from Everton to Liverpool in 2002.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

11. David Seaman

Unless you’re Francis Rossi, frontman of iconic British rockers Status Quo, ponytails were never really in, were they?

Well, long-time Arsenal and England number one David Seaman certainly seemed to disagree, sporting his for some of the most successful years of his career (and, unfortunately, some of his biggest howlers).

(Image credit: Getty Images)

10. Chris Waddle

Chris Waddle was one of the finest attacking midfielders in Europe during the late 80s and early 90s – and he had just about the finest mullet in the game.

When French giants Marseille bought the England legend from Tottenham for £4.5m in 1989 – making him one of the most expensive players of all time – they were probably paying extra for his hair, let’s be honest.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

9. Paul Gascoigne

It’s probably the simplest trim on the list, but Gazza’s Euro 96 special was the style of the day, demanded by kids in playgrounds the length of England.

Phil Foden wasn’t even born then, but the Manchester City star went and paid homage to the great entertainer himself by replicating the look for Euro 2020.

(Image credit: Alamy)

8. Jason Lee

Looking at him and his lack of hair now, you wouldn’t know it, but Jason Lee once sported one of the most infamous styles in football history: the pineapple.

No one had ever done it before; no one’s ever going to do it again; but the then Nottingham Forest striker really did do it back in the 90s.

(Image credit: Alamy)

7. Rene Higuita

You were wondering when we were going to get to the 90s Colombian icons, weren’t you? Well, here we are, beginning with possibly the craziest goalkeeper of all time.

That scorpion kick? Well, would it really have been as memorable if Rene Higuita had had a short back and sides…?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

5. Ronaldo

The 2002 World Cup belonged to Ronaldo, and the Brazil great inspired his country to glory after getting one of the most ridiculous trims the game has ever seen.

He’d been completely bald before, but then maybe he wouldn’t have enjoyed such a storming tournament had he kept it that way. We’ll never know.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

4. Taribo West

From the front, Taribo West’s, er, unique choice of hairstyle appeared to be inspired by Prodigy frontman Keith Flint – but when he turned around, it gained a whole new dimension.

A cult favourite, the ex-Nigeria defender added a great dash of colour to the pitch wherever he went (and his career took him all over the world, from Italy to Iran via [checks notes] Plymouth).

(Image credit: Getty Images)

4. Roberto Baggio

Roberto Baggio: ‘Il Divin Codino’ (‘The Divine Ponytail’) – one of the most iconic footballers of the 90s, with one of the most iconic hairstyles to match.

Ok, we’ve already established that ponytails were never really cool, but Baggio came closer than anyone in the game to making them so as he won the 1993 Ballon d’Or – then Serie A titles with Juventus and AC Milan.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

3. Romania 1998 World Cup squad

What do you do to boost your chances of topping your group at the World Cup? You get the entire team to bleach their hair, of course.

Did it work? Er… yes, it did, actually. Having already beaten Colombia and England, Romania drew with Tunisia to clinch first place and a spot in the last 16 (where they lost to Croatia – oops).

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2. David Beckham

Arguably the single most iconic footballer (or star of any sport, for that matter) of the modern era, David Beckham’s hair is as legendary as his free-kicks.

Buzzcut? Check. Mohawk? Check. Curtains? Check? Braids. Check. We could go on, but you get the picture.

Buzzcut? Check. Mohawk? Check. Curtains? Check? Braids. Check. We could go on, but you get the picture. England’s poster boy of the 00s and with good reason.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

1. Carlos Valderrama

In 1996, MLS established ‘Carlos Valderrama Day’ in honour of Colombia’s peroxided afro-rocking midfield superstar. The whole opposing team wearing wigs based on your hair? Imagine the ego boost.

And the best part? Valderrama – who starred for his country at three World Cups – still goes with the ‘fro to this day. What a guy!