Football has always influenced men’s grooming,
but right now, the shift is happening faster than ever.

Scroll through match day tunnels, training clips, or player instagram accounts and you'll notice the same thing:

The hairstyles that dominated the last few years… are finished.

Basic tapers, mid-parts, and cropped buzz cuts?
That era is done.

Footballers are levelling up their image to look sharper, bolder with more intentional styles that separate the ordinary from the ones who get noticed instantly.

Here are the three footballer hair trends exploding right now, and how you can recreate them without needing a personal stylist or a Premier League grooming budget.

The Richard Ríos Curly Flow

Playmaker energy. Voluminous. Modern. Eye-catching.

Richard Ríos didn’t expect to influence global hairstyle trends, but here we are.
This cut has become the look for men with naturally curly or wavy hair.

Why it’s trending:

• It looks youthful but masculine

• It frames the face incredibly well

• It moves naturally (women love this without ever saying it)

• It stands out instantly on camera and in person

No curls?
That’s not even a problem anymore.
Modern perms have become insanely popular among footballers who want the same controlled, natural wave without frizz.

Both with or without colour, this style hits hard, but only if the curls are controlled, hydrated, and structured.

The difference between Ríos curls and random curls?
Intentional styling.

The Sabo 16 

Effortless. Stylish. Low maintenance. Surprisingly hard to get right.

No one even knows if Sabo 16 is its real name - but everyone online recognises the look instantly.

Uniform. Clean.
A bit rebellious.

Why every footballer who wears it looks good:

• It creates natural texture

• It gives a youthful, relaxed look

• It works in day to day life and in professional environments

• It looks expensive without much effort

But here’s the key -
the texture must look controlled, not chaotic.

This is where most guys get it wrong.

They think “one length” means “no styling.”
In reality, footballers use premium styling products to add definition, separation, and all-day hold.

This is why players use products like Partenope Styling Gel —
to create that effortless-but-intentional finish the haircut depends on.

Without product, it falls flat.
With the right product, it becomes one of the trendiest looks of 2026.

The Slickback Burst Fade

Professional. Clean. Modern footballer aesthetic.

If you’ve seen this cut appear on TikTok, Instagram tunnel shots, or matchday fashion edits…
you already know how elite it looks.

It’s a slickback - hair pulled cleanly backwards,
BUT the fade only happens at the sides, not the back.

Why it’s taking over football right now:

• It looks incredibly sharp from every angle

• It works with straight or slightly wavy hair

• It gives the “professional athlete” vibe instantly

• It looks unreal with stubble or a short beard

• It photographs extremely well (a hidden reason it's trending)

But again - the finish matters.

If the slickback loses structure after 30 minutes,
you don’t look like a footballer…
you look like a guy who tried to dress well.

The real magic of this hairstyle only appears when the hair stays:

• smooth

• clean

• controlled

• shiny (not greasy)

That requires the right product.
Not supermarket gel.
Not water-based waxes that collapse when you sweat.

Footballers use strong-hold, non-flaking, weather-resistant styling gel for a reason:
their hair has to survive 90 minutes, interviews, cameras, and the walk back to the bus.

The Hidden Truth Behind All Three Footballer Trends

Whether it’s Richard Ríos curls, Sabo 16 minimalism, or the Slickback Burst Fade…
every single trending hairstyle in football right now has one thing in common:

The product holding it together is invisible - but essential.

Men underestimate this more than anything.

Most guys think the haircut alone is enough.
But footballers understand that grooming = performance.
Your hair needs to survive weather, sweat, movement, travel, and photos.

If you want your style to look like theirs,
you need the same foundation:

✔ Strong, all-day hold
✔ No flakes
✔ No dryness
✔ A finish that looks expensive
✔ A scent that elevates your presence

That’s why we created Partenope Styling Gel.

Developed with:

• cutting-edge polymers for weather-proof hold

• vitamin B5 + keratin for hair health

• a luxury designer-inspired fragrance

• zero flakes, zero stiffness, zero crunch

It’s the same product used to recreate all three trending footballer looks in the video you just watched.

Want One of These Footballer Hairstyles to Actually Look Good on You?

Get the cut.
But more importantly - get the product that makes the cut look elite.

Your barber can’t follow you around every day.
But the right styling gel can make your hair look:

• cleaner

• sharper

• more high-status

• more intentional

• more modern

Partenope is that final 20% that changes the entire effect.

Once you try it, you won’t go back.

👉 Use code 'TryPartenope' to get 15% off your first purchase of the styling gel used to achieve all three trending footballer looks.

Become the man people notice, not the one they scroll past.