Zlatan Ibrahimovic advises Erling Haaland not to cut his hair
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has given Erling Haaland unusual advice not to cut his trademark hair, claiming it gives him strength. Haaland responded by scoring a crucial goal for Norway against Ivory Coast at the 2026 World Cup.
Erling Haaland, the star of the Norwegian national team, is known for his characteristic hairstyle - a ponytail, which resembles the style of the legendary Swedish striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimović, who now serves as a mentor to younger generations of strikers, gave Haaland some interesting advice. "Zlatan told me: 'Never cut your hair, because the power is in your hair,'" Haaland revealed during "After Hours with James Corden." "What can I do? I have to listen to him, right?"
Ibrahimović confirmed this story after Norway's victory over Ivory Coast. He explained that his belief in the pony's power comes from his personal experiences. “I really believed in it when I played,” said Ibrahimovic, who won 13 European titles. "When everything was going well, I had a ponytail. I remember when Haaland came on the big stage, we had the same agent, who unfortunately passed away a few years ago. I saw him with a long ponytail and my agent was telling me, 'I saw Zlatan in it,' and I said, 'Keep that hair, because that hair will take you where you want to go.'"
Whether it's due to the pony or not, Haaland delivers at the highest level. The Norwegian striker helped his team win their first-ever World Cup knockout match by scoring the decisive goal in the 86th minute against Ivory Coast, which allowed Norway to advance to the round of 16. Haaland has already scored five goals at the 2026 World Cup, scoring twice each against Iraq and Senegal in the group stage; he did not play in Norway's defeat against France on June 26. Haaland and Norway's next rival in the World Cup will be Brazil, which they will face in the round of 16 on July 5.
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