Lionel Messi celebrating a goal for Barcelona. Credit: Getty Images
Lionel Messi, the Argentinian football player, needs little introduction since he is known as one of the greatest football players in history. This isn’t surprising since Messi has helped his club win over two dozen tournaments and league titles during his career and even set a record for the most goals ever scored in a year back in 2012 - defeating the top record which hadn’t changed since 1972! And all of this was achieved while rocking some great hairstyles.
What do these styles all have in common? They are short and practical enough to last a whole 90-minute football match and they all have that rugged, messy look. After all, it’s no good having a fussy hairdo when you have records to break.
Follow our step-by-step guide below to pull off two of the best of Messi’s looks.
Credit: Shutterstock
This classical Lionel Messi hairstyle emerged in the 2018 World Cup which the player paired with a neat beard and honestly, it had his fans shook. In fact, it was so inspiring it led to one super-fan cutting Lionel Messi into his hair - Yes, you read that right!
Messi is not one to follow trends and instead finds a style that compliments his features and doesn’t get in the way when playing on the pitch. But just because Lionel Messi isn’t one for trends doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hop on this one and get yourself this suave and simple Messi haircut. We recommend you start off with showing a picture to your barber of the look you’re trying to recreate. This way you are both on the same page when you ask for the Messi haircut. You’ll want the length on top to be roughly four or five inches with it getting gradually shorter towards the back of the head. Next you want a #2 from the base of the hairline up to the tip of the ears, including your sideburns. From the tip of the ears upwards taper the hair from a #3 to #4 until it blends in with the length at the top.
Credit: Instagram @leomessi
This is one of Lionel Messi’s more modern looks. head to the barber to ask for a short faux hawk with short sides (ahem - the mohawks' more fashionable and mature looking older brother). Section the top hair off by combing it forward starting from the back to front. Then clipper cut the sides of the hair starting from a #2 from the base of the neck to the tip of the ears, including the sideburns, then moving onto a #3 from the tip of the ears till you reach the top hair. Make sure it is well blended. Return to the top and cut the hair till it’s all about two inches long adding in some texture cuts with the clipper.
Now it’s time to style:
Walk with your head high knowing you look just as funky as one of the greatest footballers on this Earth.
Zheelana Cottam
Author
Zheelana is a writer based in Cardiff. She has a BA Honours in English and Creative Writing and is a certified TESOL teacher. When she isn’t out hiking in the lush Welsh countryside, she fills her days with reading, journaling, and going out for food.