Erling Haaland has started Manchester City’s new season without one of his most recognizable trademarks, the long blond hair he spent years tying into a bun on the pitch.
The Norwegian striker revealed a close-cropped buzz cut on August 23, posting a before-and-after video with the message, “New season, new trim.” The transformation came only hours before City’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth and after Haaland’s long hair had drawn plenty of attention during Norway’s run at the 2026 World Cup.
Haaland documented the transformation for his YouTube channel, explained why he finally wanted the change and then video-called several famous friends to surprise them with the new look.
Zlatan Ibrahimović had perhaps the strongest reaction. After seeing Haaland’s newly buzzed head, the retired Swedish star asked whether he had lost a bet before joking that Haaland should block him and erase his number.
Haaland Wanted a ‘Fresh Start’ for the New Season
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Haaland first revealed the transformation in an Instagram video that begins with his familiar hair hanging past his shoulders before cutting to his dramatically shorter style. He followed it with photographs showing different stages of the haircut and captioned them, “Short hair don’t care.”
In the longer video documenting the process, Haaland said he had been considering the change since the World Cup. “I was thinking about doing this straight after the World Cup, but I was so busy so I didn’t do it,” he said. “The season starts now, so it’s time to get a fresh start,” according to PEOPLE.
There was one piece of advice making him hesitate. Haaland recalled Ibrahimović once telling him, “Never cut your hair because your strength is in your hair,” admitting that the warning left him “a bit nervous.”
He went ahead anyway, telling his barber he wanted a “buzzcut, like I’ve been in the military.” Haaland’s girlfriend, Isabel Haugseng Johansen, was present for the transformation. PEOPLE reported that she initially joked she might cry as the long hair came off, but after seeing the finished result she told him it looked nice and that he looked “really tough.”
Zlatan, Grealish and Guardiola Got the Surprise Calls
Once the haircut was complete, Haaland began video-calling friends to capture their immediate reactions. Jack Grealish laughed at the transformation and told his former Manchester City teammate that he looked “about 10 years old.”
Ibrahimović was considerably less complimentary. “What is this? You lost a bet or what?” he asked after Haaland appeared on his screen. The former Sweden striker then jokingly told him to block his number before wondering whether losing the long hair would at least make him faster.
Pep Guardiola, who left Manchester City after the 2025-26 season, viewed the situation from a different perspective. “No way!” Guardiola said when Haaland revealed the buzz cut. “You’re lucky you have hair. I would love to have it!”
The hairstyle had even become part of his interaction with fans. In July, a resurfaced video showed Haaland sending encouragement to a young Brazilian supporter who had reportedly been teased for wearing a ponytail inspired by him. “Long hair is really nice, so keep it and don’t care about what everyone says,” Haaland told the boy.
He Took the Buzz Cut Straight to the Etihad
Haaland did not have long to get used to the new look before taking it onto the pitch. He arrived at the Etihad Stadium for Manchester City’s August 23 opener against Bournemouth wearing a cap, keeping the haircut covered until warmups.
Once the cap came off, the buzz cut made its first appearance in City colors. The match carried significance beyond the haircut. It was Haaland’s 200th appearance for Manchester City, adding another milestone to a spell that began when he arrived from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
Haaland did not score in the opener, and City found themselves trailing Bournemouth 1-0 late in the second half. Marc Guéhi equalized in the 84th minute before Joško Gvardiol struck in stoppage time to secure a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory, according to Manchester City’s official match report. The victory also marked Enzo Maresca’s first Premier League match as City’s manager following Guardiola’s departure.