In his vlog, titled “New Season, New Hair!!”, Haaland announced: “This beautiful blond hair, time to let it go.”
His hairstylist offered one final warning: “You don’t have to do this.” Haaland replied, “No, I’m ready.” Girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen watched the transformation and said beforehand, “I think I will cry.” India Today reported that she later called the finished result “cute,” so the household appears to have survived.
How did teammates and celebrities react?
After the cut, Haaland called friends and football figures to present the evidence. Zlatan Ibrahimovic initially asked whether he had lost a bet, then wondered: “You gonna be faster now, or what?”
Ibrahimovic also joked, “Block me and erase my number.” The reaction carried extra significance because Haaland previously said the former Sweden striker had warned him never to cut his hair, claiming his strength came from it.
Former Manchester City manager Josep “Pep” Guardiola focused on the practical advantage Haaland still possessed. “You’re lucky you have hair. I would love to have it,” he said.
Other responses included:
- Oasis musician Noel Gallagher telling Haaland, “You look about 17 years old.”
- Agent Rafaela Pimenta calling it “the most expensive haircut of all time.”
- Fans producing more than 12 million likes and 200,000 comments on the haircut post, according to The Daily Beast.
That level of attention turned a grooming decision into a personal-brand launch. Haaland was already one of football’s most recognisable players, but Norway’s World Cup campaign expanded his social-media audience well beyond Manchester City supporters.
Did the new look bring Premier League goals?
Not immediately. Haaland started his 200th Manchester City appearance against Bournemouth but failed to score and missed several chances.
City still won 2-1 after Joško Gvardiol completed a late comeback. The match was also Enzo Maresca’s first Premier League fixture as City manager after succeeding Guardiola, a change slightly more important to the club’s season than the length of its striker’s hair.
The scoreless performance encouraged the obvious hair-as-power jokes, particularly after Ibrahimovic’s earlier warning. One match provides limited evidence for supernatural theories, however, and Haaland’s scoring record remains a more useful measure than his barber’s work.
Manchester City next travel to Crystal Palace on August 28. If Haaland scores, the haircut will be declared efficient. If he does not, several million people have already demonstrated their willingness to discuss it further.
What does the makeover mean for Haaland’s image?
The cut removes one of Haaland’s clearest visual trademarks just as his public profile is growing. His long hair supported the imposing “Viking” persona used by fans, broadcasters and advertisers. The shorter look presents something different: younger, less theatrical and closer to his early Bundesliga image.
That does not necessarily signal a carefully planned reinvention. Haaland said he wanted a fresh start, and sometimes a haircut is merely a haircut. Still, documenting the entire process, calling famous friends for reactions and publishing the footage before a new season ensured it would become content rather than a private appointment.
The goals will ultimately decide how supporters remember the change. For now, the haircut has already delivered enormous engagement, a successful City opener and a minor public crisis for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. That is a productive weekend by most standards.
