Football players are some of the biggest show-offs in the world.
From displays of football skills to adorning fashion accessories, players always want to find a way to stand out.
Hairstyles have become a prominent feature through which players carve out a unique identity, and long hair has always been one of the most powerful ways to do it.
Here are 20 current soccer players who have long hair in 2026.
1. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Nobody in world football has made long hair more iconic right now than Erling Haaland.
The Manchester City striker told James Corden at the 2026 World Cup that Zlatan Ibrahimovic once told him “never cut your hair because the strength is in the hair,” and Haaland has taken that advice completely to heart.
His long blonde locks, tied into a Viking bun or ponytail during matches, became one of the most talked-about images of the entire tournament, almost as talked about as his seven goals.
He is one of the best strikers in world football and his golden mane has become as much part of his identity as his goal-scoring record.
2. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Virgil van Dijk commands the Liverpool backline with the presence of a general and the hairstyle of a Viking warrior.
The Netherlands captain has worn his thick, dark curly hair in a neat man bun for years, a look that has become as associated with him as his aerial dominance and composure on the ball.
He is one of the best defenders in the world and his long hair only adds to the quiet authority he carries every time he walks onto the pitch.
3. Marc Cucurella (Real Madrid)
Marc Cucurella has one of the most aggressive and unmistakable heads of hair in world football.
The new Madrid left-back’s sprawling, wild mass of dark curls bounces relentlessly as he charges up and down the flank, and it has become as recognisable as his tenacious defensive style.
The Spanish international won Olympic silver in 2021 and continues to make his mark at Chelsea, where his hair arrives in the penalty area before he does.
4. Jack Grealish (Everton)
Jack Grealish turned his long swept-back locks and signature headband into one of the most imitated looks in British football.
An entire generation of young players grew their hair out trying to copy him, and his distinctive style is still one of the most recognisable in the Premier League.
The Everton winger wears it with complete confidence, and his hair is as much his trademark as his dribbling ability.
5. Matteo Guendouzi (Fenerbahçe)
Matteo Guendouzi has never had a haircut he did not choose and has never wanted one he did not need.
The French midfielder joined Fenerbahçe in January 2026 and told media during his time at Lazio: “I’ve had this hairstyle since I was a kid and I do not intend to change it. This is part of me.”
His voluminous curly afro has followed him through Arsenal, Hertha, Marseille, Lazio, and now Istanbul, making him one of the most instantly recognisable midfielders in European football wherever he has played.
6. Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
Malo Gusto is one of the youngest long-haired players in the Premier League and one of the most stylish.
The Chelsea right-back came through Lyon’s academy and has established himself as one of the most dynamic full-backs in English football, his long hair flowing behind him as he overlaps at speed to supply the attack.
At 23 years old, his hair and his game are both still developing, and both look very promising.
7. Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur)
Djed Spence’s dreadlocks made him one of the most visually distinctive full-backs in the Premier League, and his remarkable comeback at Spurs gave those locks plenty of airtime in 2025/26.
The England international became the first Muslim player called up to the senior England men’s team in August 2025, played 44 appearances for Tottenham, helped the club win the Europa League, and clocked a top speed of 36.62 km/h on the right flank.
For more players who rock the dreadlocked look, check out our full list of soccer players with dreads.
8. Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Marcos Llorente is proof that long hair and defensive discipline go hand in hand.
The Atletico Madrid midfielder and Spain international has worn his distinctive blonde flowing hair for years, the look adding elegance to a player whose versatility and work rate have made him one of the most important figures in Diego Simeone’s side.
His hair flows as freely as his movement across the pitch, and both have been consistently excellent.
9. Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli)
Frank Zambo Anguissa is one of the most physically imposing midfielders in Serie A and his dreadlocks have been a fixture in Italian football since he arrived at Napoli.
The Cameroon international is a box-to-box force who covers enormous ground every match, and his long locks flying behind him as he drives forward are one of the most recognisable sights in the Italian top flight.
He is one of several players on this list who favour the dreadlocked style, and his combination of physique, hair, and quality makes him unforgettable on the pitch.
10. Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan)
Adrien Rabiot’s long dark hair has followed him from Paris Saint-Germain to Juventus to Marseille and now to AC Milan, where the French midfielder joined in 2025 and produced one of the best seasons of his career, scoring 6 goals and registering 4 assists in Serie A.
At 6ft 3in, his long hair gives him a brooding, imposing presence that perfectly matches his physical and technically gifted style of play, making him one of the most recognisable midfielders in European football.
11. Manu Koné (AS Roma)
Manu Koné arrived at AS Roma as one of the most highly rated young midfielders in France, and his long natural hair quickly became part of his identity at Roma.
The French international brings energy, dynamism, and a distinctive silhouette in midfield, the kind of player whose appearance and game both say something bold about who he is.
12. Kamil Grabara (VfL Wolfsburg)
Kamil Grabara is the most visually distinctive goalkeeper in the Bundesliga.
The 6ft 5in Polish international goalkeeper joined Wolfsburg from Copenhagen in July 2024 and combined an imposing physical presence between the posts with long hair that makes him unmistakable among Europe’s shot-stoppers.
A goalkeeper with that combination of size, skill, and style is a very rare thing.
13. Jackson Irvine (FC St. Pauli)
Jackson Irvine captains Australia with long flowing hair that has made him one of the most recognisable players from the southern hemisphere in European football.
The FC St. Pauli captain and Bundesliga 2 midfielder has been a consistent performer in Germany and a leader at international level for the Socceroos, his auburn mane making him impossible to miss whether he is winning the ball or driving forward into attack.
14. Darwin Nunez
Darwin Nunez is a free-flowing force of nature and his long flowing dark hair is part of the spectacle every time he plays.
The Uruguayan striker was a constant threat for Liverpool since his big-money move from Benfica, combining physical presence, aerial ability, and pace with a hairstyle that flies behind him at full sprint in a way that is genuinely hard to ignore.
He is one of the most exciting young strikers in world football and the hair makes every run look even more dramatic.
15. Luka Modric (AC Milan)
Luka Modric has been one of the best midfielders in the world for over a decade and his long blonde hair has been present throughout every chapter of that extraordinary story.
The AC Milan midfielder and Croatia captain, who left Real Madrid in July 2025 to join his boyhood club, continues to play at the highest level at 40 years old, his long flowing locks as distinctive as his elegant, precise passing game.
He is one of the greatest midfielders of all time, and the hair has been there for all of it.
16. Jules Koundé (Barcelona)
Jules Koundé treats his hair like a fashion statement, changing it regularly and making headlines every time he does.
From afro at Sevilla to braids and dreadlocks at Barcelona, his hair has become as much a talking point as his performances, and his current dreadlocked look is one of the most distinctive in La Liga.
He is one of the best defenders in the world and one of the most stylish human beings in the sport.
17. Héctor Bellerín (Real Betis)
Héctor Bellerín has never been afraid to stand out, and his long hair has been part of that identity since his Arsenal days.
The Spanish right-back returned to Spain with Real Betis and continues to be one of La Liga’s most recognisable full-backs, his flowing locks as present as ever as he attacks down the right flank.
He is also one of football’s most outspoken advocates for sustainability and social causes, and the hair is just one expression of a personality that refuses to conform.
18. Alisson Becker (Liverpool)
Alisson Becker is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world and his long dark hair gives him a striking, almost cinematic presence between the posts that makes him unlike almost any other goalkeeper in the game.
The Brazilian Liverpool captain has worn his hair long and flowing throughout his time in England, and the combination of commanding goalkeeping and distinctive appearance has made him one of the most iconic players in the Premier League.
19. Agustín Canobbio (Fluminense)
Agustín Canobbio is one of South America’s most exciting attacking players, the Uruguayan winger at Fluminense wearing his long hair as freely as he plays his football.
Born in Montevideo on October 1, 1998, Canobbio has been a consistent goal threat in the Brazilian Serie A in 2026, and his flowing locks are a reflection of his free-spirited approach to the game.
20. Ricardo Adé (Haiti)
Ricardo Adé is one of football’s most distinctive figures, the Haitian international combining an extraordinary head of long hair with a style of play as expressive as his appearance.
Adé has become a fan favourite wherever he has played, and his presence on the international stage with Haiti has introduced his unmistakable look to a wider global football audience.
His long hair is a symbol of the Caribbean spirit he brings to every match and makes him one of the most recognisable players ever to represent his nation on the international stage.
He is also one of the famous soccer players with dreadlocks on our list.
