Brighton & Hove Albion are heading into the 2026-27 season with high hopes after qualifying for the first time in UEFA Conference League and improving their squad during the summer. The Brighton Manager Fabian Hurzeler has spent the pre-season integrating new players, improving fitness, and preparing his team for the new challenges of Premier League and European football.
Brighton & Hove Albion began their preseason matches by defeating Wycombe Wanderers 4-1 and RC Strasbourg 4-3. But due to G7 summit helicopter landings disrupting pitches in France, Fabian Hürzeler’s squad canceled their overseas camp and is now training locally at their Lancing performance center.
The club has reshaped its roster through significant player sales, capitalizing heavily on defender Jan Paul van Hecke‘s transfer to Tottenham. Other permanent squad departures include Diego Coppola to Paris FC, forward Danny Welbeck to Chelsea, and winger Jeremy Sarmiento to Middlesbrough.
While much attention has been focused on Brighton’s performances in training and pre-season friendly, Hurzeler’s new scruffy look has caught attention.
The Brighton manager has been spotted with a noticeably different hairstyle and rough look during recent training sessions and media interviews. Compared to the clean-looking, fuller, forward-styled look he wore for much of last season, Hurzeler now has a closely shaved buzz cut that emphasizes the thinning across the top of his scalp.
This appearance change has sparked speculation on social media, with some fans wondering if the 33-year-old has undergone a hair transplant. And some fans even speculate that he used to wear wig to hide his baldness, all the previous seasons.
He used to wear a wig and now he's gotten a hair transplant?
— 4656A (@PaperGoat4656A) August 3, 2026
However, there is no public evidence or official confirmation to back up these claims.
A closely shaved haircut can naturally highlight male-pattern hair thinning. Some supporters have suggested that the appearance is because he is in the early stages of a hair transplant, as patients frequently shave their heads before or after the procedure.
However, without a official comment from Hurzeler or from the club, it is impossible to determine whether the transformation was the result of a cosmetic procedure or simply a new haircut.
Meanwhile, some football fans speculate he lost all of his hair due to the weather in England. In addition, with intense Premier League matches in recent weeks, fans say it is natural to lose hair due to huge stress.
Since the beginning of June, Fabian has been rocking his new haircut. With this new transformation, he spent a significant amount of time off-season with his family in Mauritius.
Then he paid a visit to the Brazilian National Team‘s camp at the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Where he met legendary football manager Carlo Ancelotti and discussed about leadership, creating the right team culture in football.
He also went to watch his country, Germany, play against Ivory Coast in the World Cup from the stands. Germany won by a 2-1 scoreline.
A few days later, he joined Talksport in Boston to talk about the tournament so far with the hosts.
Brighton’s manager then attended the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2026, where he appeared behind the scenes as a special guest of the McLaren Formula One team and was briefly interviewed during the broadcast.
Even with all these social media discussions about the hairstyle, for Hurzeler, the conversation about his appearance is secondary to the game of football. Brighton have used the summer to prepare for another demanding season, with the German coach overseeing a rigorous pre-season as the squad adjusts to new players and the added challenge of European competition.
After guiding the Seagulls to continental qualification last season, Hurzeler will be aiming to build on that progress when the new campaign begins. As Brighton prepares for the 2026-27 season, the club and its manager are focused on ensuring the team is ready for the challenges that lie ahead.
