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#4 Carlos Valderrama
There are many reasons to love Colombian legend Carlos Valderrama. Style, intelligence, moustache, no frills, no worries. He is Colombia's most capped player with 111 caps and has captained them at three consecutive World Cups. The midfielder was a high-spirited and lovable character on the pitch, made only more memorable by his 'Big Curly Blonde Afro' hairstyle.
His audatious looks earned him the status of a cult hero around the world. Without a doubt, his whacky hairstyle is the stuff of footballing folklore and often a go-to for fancy dress parties. To add to his look, he also had a lot of chunky jewelry around his neck that complimented his personality quite well.
During his playing spell, Valderrama won South American Footballer of the year, twice. Even the twillight of his career, "El Pibe" was as dangerous as ever. He still holds the record for most assists in a single season (26) in the United States.
Special Mention: Rene Higuita also sported a long black afro that became a part of his dramatic persona and unconventional goalkeeping style.
#3 Freddie Ljungberg
The super Swede immortalized his legacy at Arsenal with his knack for turning up on big occasions and, of course, his iconic red hair! The 'Spiky Reds' saw him compared to Johnny Rotten and his photoshoot for Calvin Klein only added to his growing popularity.
One look at Freddie Ljungberg in his early Arsenal days, you'd feel he should have been playing the bass for Green Day rather than running up and down the flanks. The press and fanbase in the Premier League deemed him the sexiest footballer in England.
The Gunner ensured that after leaving Arsenal he was remembered for more than just his style and fashion sense. On his debut, he scored within minutes after coming on from the bench against Manchester United and became an immediate hit.
He was declared Premier League player of the year for the 2001-02 season and won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups at Arsenal. Ljungberg was a great player, full of energy, blessed with technique, but apart from all that, his fluffy scarlet mane had a definite cultural impact on the Premier League.
#2 Roberto Baggio
Countless footballers have sported a man bun or a ponytail around the world in different eras but none more iconic than the "Divine Ponytail" himself. The 1993 Ballon d'Or winner, Roberto Baggio, was a huge success for club and country and proved a saving grace on many occasions.
He is still the only Italian to score in three World Cup tournaments. He was a man who accepted and endeared his sentiments and due to this he was often on the receiving end of fans' fickle nature. After becoming a hotshot at Fiorentina, he left for a record transfer to Juventus which left the fans in Florence bitter.
In an infamous incident, playing against his old club, Baggio refused to step up for a penalty and Juventus lost 1-0. That did not go down well with the Juventus fans. But eventually, the Divine Ponytail was too good to be hated. His balletic brilliance was at its epitome in his first four seasons in Turin, scoring more than 20 goals in each.
In the 1994 World Cup, Baggio single-handedly carried Italy into the finals, scoring in each of the knockout rounds. Despite all those talismanic performances, he is still remembered for the horrendous penalty in the shootout against Brazil in the final that ended Italy's dream.
#1 Ronaldo Nazario
As much as the Brazilian hitman is known for his immaculate striking, he is still famously remembered for his weird hairdo from 2002. Ronaldo Nazario's career was thwarted by regular injuries and the press had always stitched the narrative around his tendency to get injured. This was getting on the Brazilians nerves.
So in an attempt to get rid of all that attention towards him and how injured he stayed, he gave them a distraction they wouldn't dare avoid. He shaved his head except for that little area on the forehead side. In an interview he revealed that the inspiration for the same came from a Brazilian cartoon, Turma Da Monica.
Ronaldo proved to be a force of nature, coming back stronger after each of his injuries. He was more determined than ever to win the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan for his nation. The weirdo-haired Brazilian striker became a menace for the opposition in the tournament as he ended it with eight goals.
The former Inter Milan forward admitted that it wasn't his intention to influence supporters in Brazil, especially kids, to take up the hairstyle. Well, with great power comes great responsibility and Ronaldo got a taste of it, albeit driven by individual success.
