Erling Haaland says new haircut has made him harder to recognise in public

Erling Haaland says he has regained some privacy after abandoning his long blond hair and distinctive topknot, admitting that people no longer recognise him as often in the street.

The Manchester City striker surprised supporters at the end of August, before the start of the season, when he replaced his trademark hairstyle with a much shorter cut. The change attracted widespread attention because his long hair had become one of the most recognisable features of his appearance away from the pitch.

Haaland also took pleasure in seeing how his friends reacted to the transformation. He made video calls to several of them so he could watch their immediate responses to his new look.

Among those to comment was former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who asked him: “What have you done? What is this? Did you lose a bet or something?”

Speaking to Sky Sports in comments reported by French outlet RMC, Haaland said he had not expected a haircut to become such a major talking point.

“I expected it to cause some noise, but I did not expect the whole world to look at my new haircut,” he said. “It was extremely funny.”

The 26-year-old added: “People do not recognise me as much in the street any more. That beautiful blond hair is no longer there. It is a change, and I think that is a good thing.”

Although Haaland has given up one of his most familiar features off the field, his form for Manchester City has continued to attract attention on it.

The Norway international has scored seven goals in seven appearances for the club in all competitions, while Manchester City are top of the Premier League table.