At the 2026 World Cup, Erling Haaland kept returning to the same compact shape. His blond hair was drawn tight from his face, the sides cut close, and the length pulled only partway through a tie. It’s usually called a man bun, though it functions more like a looped ponytail. By the time Norway’s run ended in Miami, the tournament had presented the most refined version of a style Haaland had been building for years.
Sixth place goes to the side part Haaland wore at Molde in 2018. It was short, sharp and disconnected from almost everything that followed. Fifth belongs to the side-swept comb-over he had after joining Borussia Dortmund in January 2020. Both looks came early in his career, before his hair became part of his match-day routine.
Haaland’ın Brezilya’yı elediği gece, 2018’de bir Türk kullanıcının attığı tweet yeniden viral oldu. The post includes a 2018 image of the 17-year-old Haaland at Molde.
— gonzo (@gonzohaber) July 9, 2026
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Haaland let his hair grow and began tying it back at Dortmund. He later attached a performance condition to the hairstyle in an interview with TIME: “But if you do it, you have to perform. You cannot be with the bun and don’t perform.” Fourth place belongs to the headband-and-bun phase. It established the long-haired silhouette, even if the length was still in transition.
Third place goes to the braided Manchester City look from April 2023. Before a Champions League match against Bayern Munich, Haaland divided his hair into two tight plaits running from the front of his head down the back. The close-cut sides gave the braids a cleaner structure than the looser styles he had worn before. It was temporary, but it remains the most carefully constructed look in the sequence.
The loose-hair finish against Arsenal later that month takes second place. Haaland removed his tie in stoppage time, then scored the final goal of Manchester City’s 4-1 win four minutes later. The hairstyle didn’t create the goal, and the sequence doesn’t need that kind of mythology. Its strength lies in the contrast: one image with the hair secured, another with it released, and the same player finishing the match.
The man bun became the final form
First place goes to the current looped bun. It is less elaborate than the braids and less dramatic than the Arsenal sequence, but it solves the practical problem better than either. Haaland pulls the ponytail partway through the tie, forming a compact loop while leaving a short tail beneath it. The undercut clears the area around his ears and neck, keeping the profile controlled during a match.
The basic structure also gives him several options without requiring a new haircut. He can tighten the loop, lower it into a ponytail, add a headband or release the full length. Each variation begins with the same foundation. After years of growth and experimentation, the hair no longer needs to be redesigned for every appearance.
The tie itself has become part of the arrangement. In 2024, after years of using KKNEKKI ties, Haaland invested in Bon Dep, the Norwegian company behind the brand. He later selected the colors for an eight-piece Haaland Edition, with his name added to each bead. The company lists the limited collection as sold out, with no restock planned. The progression is direct, from a product used in training and matches to an investment and named collection.
The World Cup version showed the system at its most settled. The compact loop appeared throughout a tournament in which Haaland scored seven goals. It was there for Norway’s 2-1 win over Brazil, when his two late goals sent the country into its first men’s World Cup quarterfinal.
The Molde side-part and comb-over now serve as a record of how much his appearance has changed. The braids showed how deliberately the length could be shaped, while the Arsenal finish supplied the sharpest single image. The looped bun ranks first because it turned years of experimentation into something repeatable. It’s no longer simply an accessory to Haaland’s appearance. It is part of how he prepares to play.
Erling Haaland’s hairstyles ranked
- World Cup looped bun: His most practical and recognizable hairstyle, and the look most closely associated with his career today.
- Hair down against Arsenal: The strongest single match-day image of his long-hair era.
- Manchester City braids: His most carefully constructed and visually distinctive look.
- Dortmund headband and bun: The hairstyle that established his signature long-haired silhouette.
- Dortmund comb-over: A polished, side-swept style he wore after joining Borussia Dortmund before fully committing to longer hair.
- Side-swept breakthrough cut (Molde): The clean, youthful hairstyle Haaland wore during his breakthrough years in Norway before moving abroad.
