Facial hair trend has transcended to become a permanent form of Male expression. Let’s face it, the beard trend is here to stay and every Tom, Dick and Harry is trying to grow one, including Footballers who have found a niche for growing a beard themselves. Let’s take a look the Best and Worst of Footballing Beards of the year.
The Best
Tim Howard
The American Goalkeeper’s long thatch of curly chin foliage can not only stop goals but can also be used as a storage device for his keys and his iPhone. Although he didn’t start too often for Everton last season, he did manage to make this list. The former Everton Goalkeeper has kept alive the US Soccer tradition of funky beards just like Alexi Lalas did back in the 90’s.
His beard is truly a work of art given it was displayed in a Beard exhibition in London. Barack Obama once suggested him to shave off his beard so that he can avoid being mobbed by fans after his heroic displays at the 2014 World Cup.
James Collins
James Collins' beard might be the reason he is defending so exceptionally for West Ham this season, maybe beards have magical powers? The Welshman’s imposing beard is enough to derail any striker running towards the goal. In fact, Collin’s ginger beard is so bright and sparkly his teammates wear shades inside the locker rooms.
If James Collins ever decides to hang up his boots, he can always join the cast of the Vikings series. His ginger beard also reminds us of a certain wildling character from Game of Thrones. Any guesses?
Joe Allen
Joe Allen grew a beard, became a cult hero and has now been sold by Liverpool. Well, Red’s loss is Stoke’s gain, in fact, the Potter’s fans have already made up pre-match prayers which go like, Joe Allen, Who art in midfield, hallowed be thy beard.
Growing a beard seemed to have had a positive effect in Joe Allen’s performances for Wales this year as fans couldn't get enough of the player who was given many nicknames like “Welsh Pirlo” and most recent being “Jesus”.
Apart from growing a beard, the Welshman enjoys spending time at his coop saving hens who can't produce eggs anymore. Joe definitely pulls off the beard quite well.
Joe Ledley
Sadly Wales never made it to the Euro finals but Ledley did manage to end up in our final list. Joe Ledley, perhaps, sports the meanest Viking beard in football. Imagine meeting this guy on a battlefield with an axe in one hand a shield in the other and one of those horned helmet heading towards you.
You would definitely start running the other way. Although Ledley might not be the best footballer around but he does have an awesome beard. He definitely needs to consider insuring it. What is with the Welsh and their gorgeous beards?
Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso probably sports the neatest face furniture of all the footballers in the world. The beloved ex-red and current midfield lynchpin of Bayern Munich represents pure class. Alonso’s beard is always trim, tidy, perfectly groomed and manicured while still maintains his badass image. It’s official nothing can be better than Xabi Alonso's beard.
Quique Sánchez Flores
It is a real shame that Watford FC sacked the Spanish manager with the beautiful salt and pepper beard, even after helping the team stay afloat in the Premier League. It is hard to believe that the 51-year-old has a 16-year-old daughter, 14-year-old namesake son and 12-year-old twins and still manages to look so young.
The Premier League will be an uglier place without the beautiful beard of Quique Sanchez Flores, along with his endless stylish Zara outfits, which will be sorely missed as well. And Quique also has a strong resemblance to Hugh Laurie from the Tv series House,M.D.
The Worst
Diego Costa
It’s not that we have a problem with his facial hair but, yes, Diego Costa the bad, mad, spiteful, snarling, venomous, vicious, beast of a striker’s beard makes him look a lot younger than without one. Costa’s thick black beard coupled with his calculating menace has definitely earned him comparisons to Mr Twit.
It’s a clever tactic in fact, especially if you're looking to rubbing players blind with that thick scrubby brush of a beard.
Costa’s beard is a perfect example how a beard shouldn’t be. Although we do appreciate the pace at which his beard grows, if he started a game with a clean shave, 90 minutes later he would have rough stubble.
David De Gea
De Gea's beard reminds us of the age where you're like 14 and you try to grow a moustache for the first time, aiming to look like a hipster but only ending up looking like Llama instead. I'm not sure where the beard stops and the nightmares begin, looking at his bum fluff beard and extra fabric of flapping attached to his sides.
The Spanish goalkeeper would not even rank in amongst the Manchester United great beard-wearers, he still has a long way to go. Maybe David should learn a bit or two from his Spanish compatriot Xabi Alonso.
Daley Blind
Whoever trims Daley blind's beard needs to stop, same dead trim every match.The Dutchman's beard makes him look like he just stepped out of an Amish community. His ‘tache’less beard might have been big in Harrison Ford flick.
The lack of any hair on his upper cheek makes it look like bad shaving accident. Perhaps misguided by his teammate De Gea. I am not sure if Daley Blind's 'beard without tache' look is an actual choice or just what biology has sadly dealt him. He also reminds me of America’s 16th President Abraham Lincoln.
Lionel Messi
Messi’s controversial obsession with styling his hair all started with him growing a beard before the start of Copa America. Looks like Lionel Messi is going through some sort of early midlife crisis, was once the teacher's pet, but now? Tattoos, beard, dyed hair what next? piercings?
And the ginger beard almost makes him look like Michael Fassbender from Macbeth. We can’t help but wonder if Lionel Messi's bleached hair and beard are just a disguise to fool the tax man? Sorry, Messi but we just can’t buy it.
Neymar Jr
Neymar Jr might be very good with skills and tricks on the football pitch but he might be left on the bench when it comes to growing facial hair. The Brazilian wonder boy’s attempts at sporting a beard have drastically failed given his patchy and volumeless hair, some just aren’t blessed with the genes.
Neymar has gone as far to get his beard dyed blonde in the past. Ironically for a person who can’t grow a proper beard, Neymar is the brand ambassador for a very famous razor brand. Could he be the one behind Messi’s new look?
