Erling Haaland Ditches His Iconic Long Hair for a Buzz Cut — and the Internet Cannot Handle It

The Reveal

Erling Haaland showed up to Manchester City’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth on Sunday with a completely new look. The long blonde hair that became one of the most recognizable images in world football was gone. In its place was a buzz cut — short, clean, and nothing like what fans had watched grow through three Premier League seasons, a Champions League run, and a World Cup quarterfinal.
Haaland announced the change on Instagram on Sunday morning. He posted a series of selfies taken at different points during the haircut, finishing with the caption “Short hair don’t care.” Manchester City’s official account replied with his own social media catchphrase: “Nice.”

Why He Did It

Hours before kickoff, Haaland posted a full-length video on his YouTube channel showing the entire process. He said he had been planning to cut his hair after the World Cup in July but kept putting it off. The new Premier League season felt like the right moment for a fresh start. He described the buzz cut as going back to something simpler.
The timing made it his 200th appearance for Manchester City.

The Reactions

The video also featured Haaland calling various people to show them the new look. The responses did not disappoint.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic had reportedly warned Haaland in the past not to cut his hair, telling him his power was in his locks. When he saw the buzz cut, Zlatan leaned into the joke, asking if Haaland had lost a bet and whether he was going to be faster now. He told him to delete his number.
Pep Guardiola, who left City at the end of last season after more than a decade in charge, laughed and pointed out that Haaland was lucky to have any hair at all.
Jack Grealish told Haaland he looked about 10 years old. He said he could not stop staring at the top of his head.
Noel Gallagher of Oasis laughed and called it a good change.
Jude Bellingham, Haaland’s former Borussia Dortmund teammate, replied to the Instagram post with just two words: “No way.”

Why the Hair Mattered

Haaland’s long hair became something of a cultural moment during the 2026 World Cup. Norway reached the quarterfinals in what was widely described as a Cinderella run, and Haaland’s image went everywhere. Fans held lookalike contests and wore Haaland wigs to matches in cities across the United States. His Instagram following grew by more than 32 million during the tournament, the biggest gain of any player at the event.
The buzz cut marks the end of that particular chapter. Whether it affects his goalscoring is, obviously, a different matter.

What’s Next

City’s opening match under new manager Enzo Maresca kicked off Sunday afternoon at the Etihad. It is the first Premier League season without Guardiola since 2016. Haaland remains the central figure in City’s attack regardless of what is on top of his head.
Source: ESPN, Sky Sports, Goal.com, Daily Gazette, Athlon Sports, Premier League