Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland sent the internet into a frenzy on August 23 after dramatically cutting off his iconic blond locks in favor of a military-style buzz cut in preparation for the upcoming Premier League season.
The 26-year-old shared the transformation in a video posted to his social media, which has since gone viral.
The footage shows Haaland calling high-profile contacts, including Oasis singer Noel Gallagher, Swedish soccer legend Zlatan Ibrahimović, and Man City manager Pep Guardiola, to capture their stunned reactions.
While Gallagher laughed and told Haaland he looked “about 17 years old,” Ibrahimović jokingly asked if he had “lost a bet” and threatened to block his number.
Haaland’s decision to lose his hair, meanwhile, hit home for Guardiola, who stroked his own bald head and remarked, “No way. You’re lucky to have hair. I would love to have it.”
Fans, however, were far more unrestrained in their commentary, flooding social media with “no’s,” “why’s,” and declarations that they would “not accept” this new Haaland.
His signature blond mane had helped him attain meme status online, particularly during the recent FIFA World Cup.
Netizens revived some of those memes when reacting to his new haircut.
One used a green onion with blond roots and chopped off the strands to reflect what Haaland had done to his hair.
A third, meanwhile, photoshopped Haaland’s face onto a dandelion, likening his new look to the flower.
Haaland, however, appears unfazed by the reaction and has embraced the online jokes surrounding his new look.
Taking a “short hair, don’t care” approach, he has even joined in on the fun by commenting “Nice” on several of the memes circulating online.
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