The perfectly coiffed Manchester United midfielder regularly finds his choice of style scrutinised by pundits and fans
Is there a direct link between a footballer’s performance and their hairstyle?
That may seem like an absurd question to ask but it has become a common strand in the discourse of modern-day football and few players prompt such debate more than Paul Pogba.
The Manchester United midfielder’s ever-changing hair has been a regular talking point for pundits and fans ever since his return to the Premier League, particularly when he fails to reach the heights expected of him.
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On those occasions the hair is inevitably raised, with television studio discussions resembling something from Paris Fashion Week, while resident psychologist Graeme Souness questions the Frenchman’s mentality.
If a hairstyle is a contributing factor towards a poor performance, then the logical conclusion is that a hairstyle – or, as the case may be, a lack thereof – can also be the reason for a good performance, right?
United legend Eric Cantona, a man who is no stranger to the tenets of existentialism, made precisely that observation in relation to Pogba’s improvement under new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“Since Ole has arrived, he (Pogba) hasn’t changed his haircut,” Cantona said in February. “Maybe he made Pogba understand that the priority is to play football.”
Pogba isn’t the first player to have his appearance scrutinised in this way. The hairstyles of David Beckham and Ronaldo Nazario were notably subject to analysis, while Lionel Messi’s decision to shave his beard in 2018 left some supporters aghast as they wondered whether it would precipitate a Samson-style loss of form.
So what exactly is all the fuss about? Goal takes a look at some of Pogba’s most dazzling hairstyles and where he gets his hair cut.
In one sense, Pogba’s hair is literally an extension of his self and he sometimes uses it as a canvas for projecting certain ideas or images that mean something to him.
Interestingly, after Cantona’s observation that he hadn’t changed his hair during Solskjaer’s reign, the France international emerged with a freshly coiffed do for United’s Premier League game against Crystal Palace.
A tightly shaven, faded blonde look – similar to the style he had when he first arrived back at the club – replaced the longer, natural style he had previously worn and, to the relief of Red Devils fans everywhere, it didn’t seem to affect his performance as he supplied an assist for Ashley Young in the 3-1 victory. The Daily Mail commented that the new blonde cut was “almost as eye-catching as one of his long-range passes.” Almost.
Some of Pogba’s most ostentatious haircuts appeared when he was playing in Italy for Juventus, which is probably not too surprising given that he was a bit younger and perhaps not worn down by the barrage of criticism he has had to endure in England.
The bulk of the styles worn by the Frenchman in Italy were based around the mohawk and a smattering of blonde was usually incorporated into the look.
In that period he notably had the word ‘dab’ – a reference to his famous celebration – inscribed into his hair and before leaving Turin he appeared with an elaborate leopard-skin style.
While Pogba still alters his style on a regular basis in England, the changes tend to be somewhat more subtle, with different designs appearing on the sides or a dollop of blonde added somewhere.
The midfielder has been forced to contend with the pressure of being one of the most expensive footballers in the world and his hairdos at Manchester United have been somewhat more subdued overall.
One example of a subtle tweak came in the aftermath of France’s World Cup triumph when he fashioned two gold stars at the beginning of the 2018-19 season.
It was a message to the world, just like the stars on the shirt of a national team, that he was now a world champion.
There have been so many different styles over the years and it is clear that Pogba puts plenty of thought into how he wants his hair to look.
However, there are definitely some recurring motifs, including the mimicry of striking animal skins, lightning bolts and the colour blonde.
If you want to have your hair cut in the fashion of Pogba, it is possible to go to the same barber as him.
The Manchester United midfielder’s current barber is Ahmed Alsanawi, who owns A Star Barbers, an establishment based in Chessington in Greater London.
Pogba regularly promotes A Star on his Instagram feed, but he is not the only footballer who avails of their services.
Former Chelsea captain John Terry, Manchester City star Benjamin Mendy and Belgium captain Eden Hazard are among those who get their hair cut there.
Others include Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke and Man City forward Riyad Mahrez.
While A Star are based in Chessington, it is not uncommon for Pogba and others to have the barbers flown to them in order to provide the perfect cut.