Football players have never been shy about expressing themselves, whether it be with their flashy goal celebrations or their unique hairstyles.
From Ljunberg’s red hair to Cristiano Ronaldo’s signature undercut, players have been experimenting with their looks for years. But in recent times, we’ve seen a growing trend of players opting for unconventional hair colours, with white being a popular choice among many.
The use of white hair dye in football has a long and storied history. Players like Paul Gascoigne and the entirety of the Romanian Squad were famous for their bleached blonde locks during the 1990s, while other players like David Beckham and Neymar have experimented with various shades of white throughout their careers.
More recently, players like Paul Pogba and Phil Foden have been seen sporting platinum blonde hairstyles on the pitch.
Alejandro Garnacho, the young and rising Manchester United star, is the latest footballer to jump on the white hair bandwagon. The 18-year-old Spaniard, who joined the Red Devils from Atletico Madrid in 2020, has been turning heads with his new look.
Garnacho’s previously dark hair has been transformed into a striking shade of white, a bold move for someone so young.
This blonde hairdo was seen in a recent training video where Antony removed Garnacho’s beanie to expose his hair for the cameras, which left Garnacho stunned.
It is possible that he was embarrassed by the hairstyle or that he was planning a surprise reveal that was spoiled by Antony, but this funny interaction shows that he had accepted his fate either way.
Antony exposes Garnacho's new haircut to the world 😂
We can see that other United players were also seeing this hairstyle for the first time. Casemiro, for one, was not a fan, as he showed utter shock at seeing another white-haired player on his team.
However, Antony was very happy to find another just like him. Some others in the back laughed at the incident and at the hair.
The reception to Garnacho’s new hairstyle has been mixed. Some fans have praised him for being bold and daring, while others have drawn comparisons to Draco Malfoy, the infamous character from the Harry Potter franchise.
Some have even taken to social media to jokingly refer to Garnacho as “Draco Malfoy’s son” or “the real-life Malfoy.”
There are claims that he is simply trying to copy the blonde phase of his country’s hero – Lionel Messi. However, considering he is a lifelong Ronaldo fan, the chances of that happening are very low.
New look for new deal?
Garnacho’s new look has also coincided with his reported agreement in principle to sign a new five-year deal with United, pending final details related to image rights. The source, who spoke to ESPN, said there is a financial consensus for him to extend his stay at Old Trafford until 2028.
The new deal will see his salary adjusted according to his new status in Ten Hag’s squad due to the progress he has made since making his first-team debut last April.
His performances on the pitch have been impressive, and the youngster has shown that he has the potential to become a star for United in the future. His new hairstyle is just one example of his confidence and willingness to take risks, and it seems to be paying off both on and off the pitch.
