Erling Haaland has undergone one of his most dramatic transformations yet, saying goodbye to the long blond locks that have become almost as recognizable as his goal celebrations.
The Manchester City striker unveiled a dramatically shorter hairstyle ahead of the club's Premier League opener against Bournemouth, documenting the entire transformation in a new YouTube video.
And nobody appeared quite prepared for the change, least of all his longtime girlfriend, Isabel Haugseng Johansen.
"I think I will cry," the 22-year-old admitted as Erling settled into the barber's chair and prepared to part with the Viking-inspired hairstyle he has sported throughout his four years at Manchester City.
As the first sections were cut away, Isabel could be heard yelping before staring at the blond hair in her hands and exclaiming: "Oh my God."
Erling, 26, initially opted for a shorter blond bob before going even further and having his hair transformed into a close-cropped buzz cut.
The finished look left Isabel visibly stunned. She covered her mouth with her hands before repeatedly declaring: "Oh my God."
Fortunately for the soccer star, her verdict was ultimately a positive one. "It looks nice. You look cute," she told him.
"Cute?" Erling replied, appearing less than thrilled by the description as he joked that he had been aiming for something a little tougher.
Isabel was equally amused by how different her boyfriend looked, adding: "I'll wake up in the morning and think, who's that?"
The transformation is particularly striking given how closely Erling's long blond hair has become associated with his public image.
The Norwegian international has experimented with the way he wears it over the years, frequently slicking it back or tying it into a bun for matches, but rarely straying from its trademark length.
It turns out Erling had even received a warning against making the chop from Swedish soccer legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Before going ahead with the haircut, Erling revealed that Zlatan had advised him not to cut it because "your strength is in your hair."
The Manchester City star ultimately decided against taking his advice and seemed delighted by the prospect of surprising supporters when he stepped onto the pitch with his radically different appearance.