Haaland cuts hair short before Premier League opener

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland unveiled a dramatically shortened hairstyle on Sunday, August 23, 2026, just hours before his team's Premier League season opener against Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium. The 26-year-old Norwegian forward, renowned for his iconic long blond hair, posted a video and photos on social media showing the transformation to a close buzz cut.

Haaland documented the change on his Instagram and X accounts, sharing images of the new trim with the captions "New season, new trim" and "Short hair, dont care." A full video of the process was later made available on his YouTube channel. The posts immediately generated a massive reaction from fans, with many expressing shock and dismay at the loss of his signature look, while others offered praise for the fresh style.

Several fans and commentators drew parallels to the biblical figure Samson, who lost his strength after his hair was cut, jokingly wondering if the haircut might affect Haaland's prolific scoring ability. One commenter wrote, "And that's how Samson lost his powers." Another simply lamented, "Noooooooooooo." The haircut also prompted recollection of past advice Haaland had received from...