World Cup hair flair: Cuts above the rest

The game of football has seen an array of characters over the years, all shaped on the field in big matches and tournaments.

But it's not just footballing mindset that defines the temparament of a footballer; personal style also adds to it.

Over the years, like their dribbling skills, hairstyles have become synonomous with footballers.

From Englishman Bobby Charlton's combover look to Brazilian great Socrates's Jesus look, to Italian Roberto Baggio's famous beaded pony-tail, hair styles have become a medium of expression for footballers, especially on the big stage.

Rediff.com provides a look at some players whose hair turned many a head.

Ronaldo

He is the original Ronaldo who made waves in the late '90s and early 2000s with his striking prowess.

The three-time FIFA Player of the Year, who holds the record for scoring most goals in the history of the World Cup, stamped his class in the 2002 World Cup. He dazzled with his goal-scoring skills.

But it was the Brazilian forward's unusual haircut that received a lot of attention. The unique cut -- a completely shaved pate, except for a thin patch -- was voted the worst ever haircut in many Internet polls.

We can't help but agree!

Compiled by: Norma Godinho

Umit Davala is a former Turkish midfielder who played a hand in Turkey's third-place finish in the 2002 World Cup.

Davala gained popularity in that World Cup for his Mohawk hairstyle, a la David Beckham.

Considering that Davala also dabbles as a rap musician, it's only fair to believe that the man is full of style and spunk.

A footballer-cum-musician, and an unusual hairdo to add to the persona.

That surely makes for a cool combination.

David Beckham is a football icon not just in England, but the world over.

The midfielder is known for his bizarre hairstyles as much as his curling free-kicks.

The former England captain has over the years experimented with the braided look, the bearded look as well as the bald look.

But his Mohawk was the most attention-grabbing. He made the Mohawk fashionable at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and inspired many to try it.

There was rumour that British singer Robbie Williams's Mohawk hairstyle, featured in a video from his 2002 album Escapology, was inspired by Beckham's punk hairdo.

Hair or no hair, Beckham knows how to keep it simple and still rock it!

In 2004 Columbia's Carlos Valderrama was named in the list of FIFA's 125 Top Living Football Players.

But the Columbian midfielder, nicknamed El Pibe (The Kid), was known more for his big, blonde, nest-like permed hair.

Looks like having funky hairstyles was the norm among Columbian footballers in the late '80s and early '90s.

Here we have Rene Higuita, whose eccentric hairdo perfectly complimented his bizarre style of play.

This Columbian goalkeeper, who was Valderrama teammate, was known for taking unnecessary risks and running out of the box in an effort to score goals.

Because of his standout appearance it was easy to spot the player whenever he went into a tizzy on the field.

France's Djibril Cisse is another modern-day player known to experiment with his looks.

He is married to a Welsh hairdresser for the last four years. So his obsession for sporting different hairstyles ever so often comes as no surprise.

Cisse's blonde beard and fine blonde haircut give him the look of a bronze model in an art museum.

And, apart from his funky hairstyle, it's the angel tattoo on his back that ups the French footballer's style quotient.

Very stylish, we say!

A footballer wearing sunglasses on the pitch is a rare sight, but Edgar Davids carries off the look with aplomb.

This Dutch player's famous dreadlock hair and sunglasses combination made him very popular among football fans.

Davids was nicknamed Pitbull for his style and pace.

Be it at club or country level, the Dutchman carried the long-haired look gracefully and effortlessly.

A thumbs up to that!

This former Japanese defensive midfielder was known to be a grinder on the football field.

Kazuyuki Toda had flair and an aggressive attitude to go with it.

But who'd want to take him seriously with that kind of haircut?

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur player was one of the many football-playing victims who fell prey to the Mohawk look in the 2002 World Cup.

This Frenchman looks comfortable with the braided look. Bacary Sagna had revealed that his blonde-braids were the 'reward' for winning a bet with his demanding father, Bassirou.

"I was 17 or 18 and playing in the fourth team against the seniors. They were 25 to 30 years of age, and we were teenagers.

"The bet was I had to score two goals in the match to change my hairstyle. I scored both and afterwards, I called dad and told him I'd done it. He didn't believe me, but I did it and I remember thinking, 'Now, I can do what I want'."

Well Bacary, that was a good bet to win!

Footballers are like rock stars; there are no two ways about it.

But, it seems, Alexi Lalas, who represented the United States at the 1994 World Cup, took the statement quite literally.

Lalas was famous for his long messy mane, long sideburns and disheveled goatee -- just like a rockstar.

And Lalas took the rockstar tag to another level when he cut an album in 1998. The punk metal album, titled Ginger, had Lalas on vocals and guitar.

The hairdo was just an extension of his real persona. And fans loved it!

Rigobert Song holds the dubious distinction of being one of only two players to be sent off in successive World Cup Finals -- the other being Zenedine Zidane -- as well as being the youngest player ever to be sent off - when just 17 in 1994.

Can we say he has added another featther to his cap this time -- the worst haircut at the football World Cup 2010.