Erling Haaland has ditched his trademark long, tied-back hair for a shorter style reminiscent of his early Borussia Dortmund days, unveiling the fresh look on social media ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth at the Etihad. The reveal quickly caught the attention of his rapidly growing online following.
A Notable Change From His Signature Look
Haaland shared the transformation across his social channels on Sunday morning, posting footage teasing a fuller video of the haircut process, along with a follow-up image captioned to reflect his new, low-maintenance approach to the change.
The shift is a notable departure from a style Haaland has stuck with for some time. In a July interview with Fox Sports, he explained that he’d kept his longer hair on the advice of fellow Scandinavian striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who reportedly told him never to cut it, only half-jokingly suggesting his strength was tied to it.
Haaland’s Growing Social Media Profile
The timing of the reveal comes off the back of a breakout summer for Haaland’s public profile, having emerged from the 2026 World Cup as one of the tournament’s biggest social media stories after helping Norway reach the quarter-finals. He scored seven goals during Norway’s run and gained more than 32 million Instagram followers across the 39-day tournament the largest growth of any player involved. That expanding audience beyond football itself has added a new dimension to Haaland’s standing as one of the sport’s biggest global stars, with his personality increasingly drawing attention alongside his performances on the pitch.
Setting the Stage for a New Era at City
Haaland’s new look debuts at a significant moment for Manchester City, who begin life without Pep Guardiola for the first time in more than a decade, with Enzo Maresca taking charge for his first Premier League match at the Etihad. Haaland remains the focal point of City’s attack under the new regime and will be expected to lead the line as Maresca’s tenure gets under way in the league.
City go into the fixture looking to bounce back from a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in last weekend’s Community Shield, with Maresca backing his squad to respond strongly as the new season begins in earnest.
Quick Facts: Haaland’s New Look
- Change: Long, tied-back hair → shorter, Dortmund-era style
- World Cup form (Norway): 7 goals, quarter-finalists
- Instagram growth during World Cup: 32m+ followers (highest of any player)
- Fixture: Man City vs Bournemouth, Etihad Stadium, Sunday 1pm UK kick-off
- Context: Enzo Maresca’s first Premier League home game as City boss
