Erling Haaland's drastic haircut has only enhanced Man City star's booming personal brand

Haaland had been rocking long hair for the past five years, ever since he began to grow it out during his meteoric rise at Borussia Dortmund. By the time he arrived at Man City in the summer of 2022, he already had his trademark ponytailed hairstyle.

In his own words, the striker had deemed it was "time for a change". In his YouTube video, he revealed that he had actually been considering getting the chop since Norway's World Cup campaign came to an end at the quarter-final stage back in early July. "I was so busy, so I didn't do it," he explains.

He ended up waiting until the day before his first game of the Premier League season to undergo his transformation, strategically sharing the video the same day that City took on Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium.

In the seven-minute clip, he insists he wants a "really short" buzzcut before a hairdresser arrives and the viewer is treated to the various hilarious stages of the extreme haircut as Haaland's girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen watches on in disbelief.

Explaining the striking new look to ESPN Brazil following City's win over Coventry last weekend, the forward said: "It's much easier. I think it was time for a change. I like it. Of course, I miss my long hair, but it was time for a change and, so far, I've enjoyed it. It will grow back and be long again, hopefully."

"I can't wait for the fans to see," Haaland beamed, mid-haircut, before mimicking the chant 'Who the f*cking hell is that?!'. "I want Man City fans to sing that tomorrow!," he said, laughing to himself.

While his new barnet inevitably drew a positive response from the Etihad faithful on the opening day, the reaction in certain corners of the internet has been somewhat less complimentary. Having failed to find the back of the net against Bournemouth, a freshly-shorn Haaland was accused of suffering a so-called 'aura loss' online, with many declaring that he had lost his intimidating edge after reaching for the clippers.

Other criticism has been more tongue-in-cheek. In his YouTube video, Haaland called legendary former AC Milan and Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as well as Man City loanee Jack Grealish on FaceTime to get their reactions. The former asks "What the f*ck have you done?!" and whether the Norwegian has lost a bet, while his now-former City team-mate tells him he looks "about f*cking 10 years old".

Zlatan had previously told his fellow striker never to cut his hair because it was the source of his strength, a nod to the biblical character Samson.

However, anyone who truly believes the drastic haircut will negatively affect either 'Brand Haaland' or the goal-machine's ability on the pitch is sorely mistaken. If anything, the virality he achieved by sharing the video is merely a marker of his ever-growing global profile.

The full clip on YouTube has now been viewed some 9.5 million times, while many more will have watched and engaged with teasers across Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms. A behind-the-scenes photo dump from the haircut has collected more than 14 million likes alone.

Haaland only ventured into the world of YouTube in October 2025, but he already has close to 4.5 million subscribers, racking up more than 224 million views across his short and long-form videos, with both his personable, cheeky persona and his ability as a footballer effectively guaranteeing his channel's success.

The people who feature in the video are another indication of his significant clout. Haaland has Noel Gallagher, Zlatan, Grealish and Pep Guardiola's numbers in his star-studded phonebook, and when he called, they answered.

If it was ever in doubt, it's worth noting that the 25-year-old has very much found his goal-scoring groove since drawing a blank on the opening day, too. Rocking his new look, Haaland has gone on to score five goals in his subsequent three appearances, including a Champions League brace against Porto in midweek.

Just this summer, Haaland's ever-increasing popularity was given a significant boost as he seized the opportunity to break the United States and finally demonstrate his ability on the very biggest stage.

Norway headed stateside having qualified for their first World Cup in 28 years, and they lived up to the pre-tournament tag of dark horses thanks in no small part to the exploits of their prolific No.9. Alongside his team-mates and their viral viking row celebration, Haaland captured the imagination on and off the pitch, scoring seven times in five appearances on his country's run to the quarter-finals - including a sensational brace in the stunning last-16 triumph over five-time champions Brazil.

He found time to post a number of behind-the-scenes vlogs from his time in the U.S. which went viral as he revelled in being able to go about daily life relatively unnoticed, including embracing cowboy culture in Dallas and trying New York delicacies. That prompted a bizarre wave of AI videos featuring Haaland as a cartoon character, viking and more. Haaland kept things rolling by returning home with a $750 taxidermied raccoon as a souvenir.

His profile would grow exponentially as his country progressed, fuelled by his goals and off-field antics, and he has now brought in around 36 million new followers on Instagram since the start of the tournament - more than six times the population of the nation he was representing.

Haaland admitted afterwards that the World Cup had been 'life-changing' for him. Asked about his burgeoning reputation at the time, Haaland said: "I think it's a good thing, because I like the Americans, I think they are kind of hilarious as well, they are funny."

He added to Norwegian outlet VG: "It has been the coolest weeks and the journey I have had in my entire life. It has been completely surreal, it is difficult to take it in now. You get a bit empty. If I think quickly through these 40 days, it has been completely insane."

Legacy American news outlet ABC labelled him "a global soccer sensation on and off the pitch" who had "transcended the tournament with his unique personality", while NBC dubbed the striker "the MVP of the small screen".

It seems his trademark hairdo was part of the allure. According to Google search data analysed by barber booking platform Fresha, searches for 'Haaland hair' spiked by a massive 516% to 266,000 monthly searches during the World Cup. Overall, they have increased by 3,667% over the past year, with 130,000 searches in the past month or so alone.

Experts believe it's therefore little surprise that Haaland's big chop broke the internet, and they don't expect his new cropped trim to have any bearing on his skyrocketing brand.

Fresha hair and beauty specialist Danielle Louise said: "Haaland's hair had become instantly recognisable, particularly during the World Cup, so it isn't surprising that cutting it off has caused such a reaction.

"Footballers have influenced men's hair for generations, but Haaland was interesting because his look was completely different from the fades and closely cropped styles we've seen dominate men's grooming. The search figures show just how much interest there was in his longer hair.

"Now he's gone in completely the opposite direction, I expect plenty of men will be looking at the new cut too."

Someone who can attest to the power of regularly changing your look and whose brand certainly didn't suffer as a result is David Beckham, who had the entrepreneurial nous, looks and personality to ensure his legacy transcends his football career.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and England superstar has donned a variety of famous (and infamous) hairstyles down the years, including his boyish curtains, ill-advised cornrows and mohawk, a Haaland-esque ponytail and, of course, a buzzcut.

It became a news event every time Beckham changed his appearance, and Haaland has already emulated that by going viral with his first big chop. Addressing the striker's new look on CBS in midweek, Beckham said: "I actually think it looks great. New season, new haircut, still scoring the same goals," before going on to pick the buzzcut as his favourite ever hairstyle for its ease.

Haaland, too, has clearly recognised the need to build a personal brand that will sustain him well beyond his playing days. There's certainly something to be said for keeping things fresh to keep your audience on its toes, and in the YouTube video, he suggested he won't have short hair for long.

Looking back over old photos of himself in preparation for his big haircut, the striker held one up from October 2020 where he has medium-length blonde locks, styled with a middle parting and hairband. "Jack Grealish! What do you think?," he said. "I'm looking forward to having this hair again because I like it, not long, not short, in between."

While he might have lost a touch of his viking aura, it's clear that we shouldn't expect Haaland's brand to suffer despite him being shorn of his trademark long locks. If anything, the inadvertently viral haircut stunt has only generated more hype around him, as his profile explodes across the globe.

"There's something very confident about taking everything away and letting the face do the talking," Maxwell Oakley, co-founder of luxury London barber Supply 91, told GQ.

"Haaland's new look is a perfect example: it completely changes his appearance but somehow makes him look even more striking. The contrast with his signature long hair is a big part of why it's getting so much attention. It almost acts as a reset."

Having cracked America in the summer and amid the success of his YouTube channel and his continued goal-scoring exploits for club and country, Haaland has become a juggernaut on and off the pitch. A new haircut certainly isn't going to slow him down.

Click here to read article