Erling Haaland shocks fans with military-style buzz cut after FIFA World Cup

It is the end of an era – or at least the end of a meme era! Footballer Erling Haaland has said goodbye to his iconic long blonde hair. On August 23, he shared a YouTube video and a series of pictures on social media documenting his haircut session.

From his long, shoulder-grazing locks, the footballer has now switched to a buzz cut, stopping just short of a completely shaved head. It’s quite a transformation, especially after his mane became a main character during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Take a look at his new look, though:

In the YouTube haircut vlog, Haaland admitted to feeling nervous before letting go of his hair.

“Time to let it go. I was thinking about doing this straight after the World Cup, but we’re so busy, so I didn’t do it,” he said. He added that his footballer friend Zlatan Ibrahimovic had warned him never to cut his hair, but Haaland was ready for a new look anyway.

“Season starts now, so it’s time to get a fresh start and everything. The only thing is Zlatan told me, never cut your hair because your strength is in your hair. I’m a bit nervous. I want buzz cut like I’ve been in military. That’s what I want,” Haaland said.

Haaland’s longtime girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen was also with him during the haircut.

“Cute.” That’s how she reacted to the new look. However, that wasn’t quite the reaction he was hoping for, as he was clearly going for a tougher, more intimidating look. Earlier, she was seen in the room before the haircut began, admitting, “I think I will cry” once his long locks were gone.

The footballer unveiled his new look ahead of the new Premier League season. He then made a few video calls to his friends, who were just as shocked by the transformation as everyone else on the internet.

Zlatan was one among them too, whose first guess was if Haaland had “lost a bet”. “What did you do? You lost a bet or what? Block me and erase my number.” “You gonna be faster now, or what?” Ibrahimovic said.

Watch the full video here:

Long hair or short hair, the internet’s stream of memes remains incessant. Like this infamous spring onion comparison made a comeback:

RIP, Haaland’s hair!

Some couldn’t help but well up:

HALLANDDDDDDD pic.twitter.com/CluIytnazg— Midecode (@Midecodez) August 24, 2026

What do you think of Haaland’s new haircut?

– Ends