Footballers are often renowned for their style – good or bad – and that frequently extends to their barnets.
There have been some truly extraordinary looks over the years, from the bizarre to the spectacular, although we sadly see fewer daring trims in the modern era. As a result, we’re often forced to look back in time to celebrate the individuality of the football superstar.
Our definition of ‘best’ may be different from yours, but there can be no doubting the haircuts you’re about to see are as iconic as they come.
Here are the best haircuts in football history.
You catch glimpses of the odd ponytail in the modern game but the contemporary iterations pale in comparison to David Seaman’s heroic effort during the early noughties.
Paired with a 1970s moustache, a grumbling voice and 75 England caps, Seaman’s trim is truly iconic. It’s a shame he’s since gone for a short back and sides number.
Vagner Love played for 13 different clubs and Brazil during the course of an intriguing career and he swiftly caught the attention of the world with his bold trim.
The striker’s sharpshooting helped engage audiences but they were likely more interested in his bright blue dreadlocks, which were often being chased by defenders unable to match the South American star.
Certain corners of the internet claim that Marouane Fellaini’s haircut was not merely a stylistic choice but actually a footballing advantage. The Belgian midfielder, who was known for his aerial prowess, boasted a mighty afro for the bulk of his career.
This particular hairdo may have given him the upper hand when contesting aerial duels with centre-halves in the penalty area, although his 6’4 frame and sharp elbows did much of the heavy lifting in that respect.
Mario Balotelli. One of football’s most bizarre protagonists.
The maverick Italian is known for his style on and off the pitch, with his famous glove hat – which was clearly inspired by Wallace and Gromit’s Feathers McGraw – sparking much debate online during his stint with Manchester City.
The fiery forward was also renowned for his striking hairdos, many of which consisted of geometric patterns and a variety of colours – as demonstrated above.
Few Croatian supporters could criticise Ivan Perisic for a lack of patriotism at Euro 2016, with the former Inter and Tottenham star sporting a red and white checkerboard trim for the tournament honouring the nation’s iconic home jersey.
Unfortunately for those of a Croatian persuasion, a round of 16 exit would follow despite an excellent group stage performance, leaving Perisic confined to his shower for the next few weeks as he desperately scrubbed his head clean.
Like a modern day David Beckham, Brazilian superstar Neymar has boasted an astonishing array of haircuts over the years. Some have been more subtle than others, but the winger certainly wanted to be seen during the 2019/20 season as he went pink for a Ligue 1 clash with Montpellier.
It certainly wasn’t his worst haircut – take a quick peek at his Santos trims – and it likely inspired a legion of Brazilians and Paris Saint-Germain supporters into a frenzied search for pink hair dye.
Marek Hamsik was one of those footballers who balanced looking hard as nails and being an incredibly elegant playmaker. The Slovakian was seldom seen without his trademark mohawk, which seemingly got spikier with every passing season.
He may not be the only mohawk wielder of the 21st century in Serie A – see also Radja Nainggolan and Stephan El Shaarawy – but his was certainly the most eye-catching (and eye-poking if opponents got too close).
Freddie Ljungberg was adored by the Arsenal faithful and his commitment to the cause was evident. The magical Swede even dyed his hair red during his time in north London, which swiftly became an iconic look.
The former underwear model may not seem super stylish these days, but he was a pioneer in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In a dramatic turn of events, he’s now bald. Happens to the best of them.
Unfortunately for Paul Scharner, a mediocre Premier League career means all he’s really remembered for these days are his wild hairdos. The Austrian loved a dye, going half-and-half during his time with Wigan Athletic as he channelled his inner Cruella de Vil.
There were some other remarkable trims for Scharner over the years, including writing the word ‘Thanx’ in blue on the back of his head during his final home match for the Latics.
The mullet may have come back around but few boast the same authority – and sheer volume – as Chris Waddle’s. The former England international was often seen galloping down the flanks with his luscious locks bobbing behind him as opposition defenders attempted to keep pace.
As they say, it was business in the front and party in the back for much of the 1980s for the brilliant Waddle.
Paul Pogba was never shy of expressing himself, whether with the ball at his feet or a bottle of hair dye in his hands. The Frenchman’s divisive cuts were often bright and bold in nature, mimicking his performances on the pitch, especially during his first spell with Juventus.
The leopard print look was arguably his most ambitious effort, working in tandem with his frosted tip mohawk. When Pogba was donning the black and white of the Old Lady, he produced displays worthy of his conspicuous hairdos.
Rodrigo Palacio hung up his boots in 2022, presumably so he could focus more attention on his Jedi training. The Argentinian Padawan sported what is not so affectionately known as the ‘rat-tail’.
A long, single strand of plaited hair rested on his shoulders throughout a career in Argentina and Italy, with the rest of his head often shaved clean. It was a daring attempt to popularise the style, but one that ultimately fell short.
Gazza inspired a generation with his bleach blonde hairdo at the 1996 European Championship. There wasn’t a kid on the playground who didn’t dream of donning such a rebellious look.
It’s a style that has somewhat endured, with players frequently bleaching their hair in the modern era. Phil Foden pulled out the Paul Gascoigne trim ahead of Euro 2020, with England enduring a similarly heart-breaking finale on home soil.
Ruud Gullit was a silky and classy footballer and his persona was matched by a suave and elegant haircut. A thick head of dreadlocks was supported by a tash that could well have inspired Seaman’s.
The fact that Gullit is a Ballon d’Or winner and European Championship victor certainly adds to the appeal of the Dutchman, who, with a chain often hanging from his neck, puts any of modern football’s cool gang to shame.
Abel Xavier donned some ambitious looks during his career, with the Portugal international wowing traditional English audiences with his striking offerings while playing for Everton, Liverpool and Middlesbrough.
The beauty of the Portugal international’s array of wild styles was that – as evidenced above – he would dye his beard to match his bleach blonde hair. That’s proper commitment.
Taribo West was a tough-tackling centre-half, something not instantly evident from his larger than life hairstyle.
Nigerian green dreadlocks were often organised into two buns, which is hardly the traditional look of a player who marshalled the backline in Serie A during the 1990s and early 2000s.
West certainly had a unique look.
David Beckham enters the top five based on the myriad of hairstyles he adopted across his career, from braids, to man bun, to one all over. English football’s first superstar celebrity was handsome enough to pull off any look.
If we’re to shout out his best effort, however, it would likely be one of his more subtle cuts, such as the mid-noughties semi-mullet seen above. But again, he could even makes Palacio’s rat-tail appealing such was his charm.
Carlos Valderrama never graced Europe’s elite but he quickly became a household name, partly due to his sensational golden curly locks. The 111-cap Colombia international had the playmaking abilities to make that hair shine even brighter.
Valderrama has held on to his full head of hair post-retirement but we may never see such a striking effort ever again. A sad thought.
Few footballers earn a nickname based on their hair. But Roberto Baggio – ‘The Divine Ponytail’ – managed to do exactly that. Of course, the fact that he is one of European football’s all-time greats helps enormously.
The black curly ponytail of Baggio was synonymous with a glorious era in Italian football, with the former Juventus, Milan and Inter star being the poster boy of a golden generation.
There can be no arguments here. None whatsoever.
Comfortably the most iconic haircut in football history, Ronaldo stunned the world when he showed up at the 2002 World Cup with a bizarre island of hair perched on the top of his head. Pure star energy, this one.
There are no words to describe it. Well, no words that do such a look justice.
