Two long-haired signatures disappeared within days of each other this week, and both cuts landed hard enough to become their own moment. Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland, 26, shared a video on Instagram on Sunday, August 23, showing his long blond hair — usually worn in a ponytail, top knot or bun — buzzed down to almost nothing, captioned "Short hair don't care." The same day, actor Connor Storrie, 26, who plays Ilya Rozanov in the Crave series "Heated Rivalry," was photographed in Toronto with a matching buzz cut while filming has resumed on the show's second season.
Erling Haaland has officially said goodbye to his signature long blonde locks. ✂️
— HouseOfVanity (@HouseOfVanity88) August 23, 2026
The Manchester City star debuted a dramatic new buzzcut, revealing he had actually planned to chop his hair straight after the 2026 World Cup but was simply too busy. "The season starts now, so... pic.twitter.com/7YIWLF5n2V
Haaland's hair had become part of his public identity over the summer, worn loose or knotted during Norway's run to the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, a stretch that turned the forward into one of the tournament's most-discussed off-field figures, complete with lookalike wigs and a fan contest in Miami. The cut arrived just hours before Manchester City's Premier League opener against Bournemouth, the club's first match of the post-Pep Guardiola era under new manager Enzo Maresca. In a longer video posted to his YouTube channel, Haaland called the change deliberate, saying he wanted something closer to a military buzz cut, and phoned teammates and former colleagues, including Jack Grealish and Guardiola, to show them the new look before it went public.
