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Zlatan Ibrahimovic is going to spend a lot of time on screens during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He's an analyst for the Fox broadcasts in the United States, and his clips will surely spend some time going viral on social media, too. Just one problem: Zlatan's hair isn't the same. At some point, he got a major haircut.
For essentially his entire career, Ibrahimovic rocked his hair in the signature ponytail shown in the photograph at the top of this article.
Now, it's not as long. You can see it in this video from the opening day of the World Cup:
"I have some roots in Croatia, so I'm supporting them in this tournament" - Zlatan Ibrahimović
🇭🇷🩸
pic.twitter.com/Al8J7izRb4— Croatian Football (@CroatiaFooty) June 11, 2026
MORE: Germany fan Freddy is going viral for his journey through the American South
Zlatan still looks sharp -- and you'd expect nothing less from a man who consistently talks about himself in the third person.
He's one of the best goal scorers ever, and he carries himself with an almost otherworldly confidence.
Now, his hairstyle has moved into its next chapter, its post-playing career. Fans definitely noticed.
WHAT DID ZLATAN DO TO HIS HAIR— S9 Strange #TENOÍ (@Strangeman11000) June 11, 2026
There were a few social media posts on the matter that utilized some unclean language, too. People weren't too pumped about the new look.
Maybe it's just temporary, a summer cut for the North American heat. Or maybe Zlatan has turned over a new page and is going with the "new hair, new me" motto.
Someone should ask him. He'd probably give quite the response.
More FIFA World Cup news:
- How playing for South Korea removed mandatory military service for Son Heung-min
- Lamine Yamal hanging out at a Walmart
- Harry Kane reveals blunt feelings about potential England issues in U.S. heat
- Lawrence, Kansas has fallen in love with the Algerian national team
- Zlatan bashes Erling Haaland in hilarious way
Billy Heyen
Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who spent his senior year following Jim Boeheim's basketball team around the country. His reporting work has also included extensive high school sports coverage at the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Adventures in sports writing have also led to in-person coverage of the Buffalo Sabres, Cleveland Guardians, U.S. men's national soccer team and a variety of minor league baseball stories. When people ask if he's seen a movie, the answer is usually "No, I was probably watching sports." Even away from sports, his main hobby is running (much slower than any athlete in these pages).
Source: Sporting News
