Winning the World Cup comes with plenty of perks. A medal. A place in football history. The admiration of an entire country.
It also seems to come with one unwritten rule inside Spain’s dressing room: if you make a promise before the tournament, you’d better be prepared to keep it.
Marc Cucurella was among the first to prove it. The full-back not only got the promised tattoo of Spain manager Luis de la Fuente after La Roja’s triumph, but also followed through with a change of hairstyle.
Now, it was Gavi’s turn.
Months before Spain’s World Cup triumph, the Barcelona midfielder confidently told RAC1:
“I’ll dye my hair pink if we win the World Cup.”
At the time, it sounded like one of those promises footballers make knowing they’ll probably never have to keep it.
Then came Spain’s World Cup triumph.
So Gavi did exactly what he said he would.
The midfielder unveiled his new look on Instagram on August 6, posting two photographs showing off hair that wasn’t simply pink — it was pink. Blindingly bright. Neon. The sort of shade that would probably glow in the dark.
Most supporters assumed he’d opt for something subtle. A pastel tone, perhaps. A fashionable rose colour that looked good in the summer sun.
Instead, Gavi arrived looking as though he had asked his hairdresser for the brightest pink available and then requested one more layer for good measure.
The internet, unsurprisingly, loved every second of it.
Within hours, the photos had spread across social media, with fans discussing both the outrageous shade of pink and Gavi’s commitment to following through on his World Cup promise.
His transformation was documented by stylist Sanro the Barber from start to finish, who later revealed exactly what went into the transformation .The Barcelona midfielder didn’t just add a splash of colour. He committed fully, cutting his hair, bleaching it and then dyeing it bright pink.
The caption summed it up perfectly:
“A man who keeps his word.”
Lamine Yamal seemed just as amused as everyone else, quickly appearing in the comments with laughing and sobbing emojis after seeing his teammate’s dramatic makeover.
Ironically, Yamal has unfinished business of his own.
Speaking on his YouTube channel before the tournament, the teenager made his own World Cup promise.
“If we win the World Cup, I promise I’ll grow my beard and moustache for three weeks.”
Whether three weeks is enough time for that experiment to produce visible results remains to be seen, but fans embraced the claim anyway.
Even Pedri admitted before Gavi’s reveal that he was especially looking forward to seeing his midfield partner finally turn his hair pink.
Now attention has shifted elsewhere.
Spain’s celebrations have slowly become a checklist of promises waiting to be fulfilled, and supporters are already wondering who will be next. Ferran Torres’ pledge to shave his head has become one of the most anticipated, and after watching Gavi willingly walk around with what might be football’s brightest hairstyle, nobody is ruling anything out anymore.
For Gavi, though, the timing feels fitting.
After battling back from the serious ACL injury that disrupted his career, the midfielder heads into the new season as a World Cup winner with another major milestone behind him. He still has a few days left of his holiday before reporting back to Barcelona on August 12 alongside his Spain teammates, where Hansi Flick’s side will begin preparations to defend their league title.
He returns as the same relentless midfielder Barcelona fans know. Just significantly easier to spot from the other side of the pitch.
One thing is becoming increasingly clear about this Spain squad. If they make a World Cup promise, they might actually mean it.
