Erling Haaland, what did you do to your hair? His new look under the microscope: “Zero aura”

All soccer fans and enthusiasts on social media have almost unanimously rejected Erling Haaland’s new look, as he appeared before the match against Bournemouth without the long Viking-style hair that has been his trademark in recent years.

The new hairstyle of the Manchester City and Norway striker has been heavily criticized: “Haaland’s aura is gone,” “He used to look like a Viking; now he looks like just anyone,” “He’s not himself anymore,” “He can’t do this to us,” “-1,000 aura points,” “Did he lose a bet?”, “Now he looks like he’s 15.” Haaland also posted a video call with Pep Guardiola, who was taken aback: “But at least you have hair…”. His friend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, on the other hand, was particularly harsh: “Delete my number.”

“I don’t care about short hair. New season, new haircut,” the Norwegian striker wrote on social media, defending himself against the criticism.

The match against Bournemouth is part of the first matchday of the 2026–2027 Premier League season. Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City—the Citizens’ new manager following Guardiola’s departure, as he chose to take a break after ten years in the Premier League—makes its league debut after losing the Community Shield to Arsenal. Haaland leads the attack in the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, supported by Semenyo, Foden, and Grealish in the attacking midfield. The injured Doku is out, while in midfield, Anderson and Kovacic will look to ensure Rodri—who moved to Barcelona this summer—is not missed.