Erling Haaland shaves signature blond hair into buzz cut ahead of new season

A new look for the new campaign

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland revealed a complete visual makeover ahead of his fifth campaign with the English club. The 26-year-old Norwegian international shaved off his signature long blond hair and bun in favour of a military-style buzz cut. Haaland unveiled the transformation in a seven-minute YouTube video documenting the barber session, having kept the decision secret from his parents and his sister prior to filming. He noted that he had originally intended to cut his hair following Norway's World Cup quarter-final campaign, but postponed the salon visit due to a packed schedule. Sharing images of the result across his social media accounts, Haaland accompanied the reveal with the caption "Short hair, don't care."

These beautiful blond hair. It is time to let go.

Friends and teammates react on video

After leaving the barber's chair, Haaland placed video calls to several friends, colleagues, and football figures to capture their initial impressions. Oasis musician and Manchester City supporter Noel Gallagher told the striker that he looked 17 years old, adding that change was a positive development. Manchester City teammate Jack Grealish laughed during their exchange, telling Haaland that he looked about 10 years old while praising the shorter style. Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola also reacted with amusement during a call, running a hand over his bald scalp while inspecting the new look.

No way. You're lucky you have hair. I would love to have it. I love it.

Defying Ibrahimovic's warning

Before undergoing the cut, Haaland acknowledged that former Sweden and Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic had repeatedly advised him to protect his long hair, telling him that strength resided in his locks. When Haaland called Ibrahimovic to reveal the shaved head, the Swedish veteran expressed mock disbelief and asked if the haircut was the result of a lost wager. Ibrahimovic jokingly told Haaland that his wife thought he was crazy and asked whether the aerodynamic cut would make him faster across the pitch, to which Haaland replied that he hoped it would.

What did you do? You lost a bet or what? Block me and erase my number.

Hair history and season kickoff

The buzz cut represents a return to Haaland's earlier visual identity rather than entirely unfamiliar ground. The Norwegian striker maintained short hair throughout his youth and his early professional career, choosing to grow out his signature long hair only over the course of 2021. The long hairstyle had become an established commercial feature, including a limited-edition hair tie collection released in partnership with Norwegian brand Knekki that sold out within weeks during the World Cup. On the pitch, Manchester City opened their Premier League season with a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth on 23 August, securing three points through two late goals assisted by substitute Rayan Cherki, while Haaland completed the fixture without scoring.