'The power is in the hair'

"The power is in the hair."

With those five words, Zlatan Ibrahimovic praised Erling Haaland after Norway's inspiring Fifa World Cup 2026 campaign, bringing to life one of the tournament's most memorable off-pitch storylines.

The Swedish icon shared a photo of the pair on Instagram yesterday (13 July) after Norway's quarterfinal exit to England, reviving the playful advice he had given Haaland earlier in the tournament: never cut his hair because "the strength is in the hair."

The meeting marked the first public appearance together for two strikers often compared for their imposing physiques, prolific goalscoring ability and signature long locks.

Haaland had revealed during an appearance on "After Hours with James Corden" that Ibrahimovic had called him with a simple piece of advice.

"Zlatan told me, 'Never cut your hair because the strength is in the hair.' What can I do? I have to listen to him, no?" the Norwegian striker said.

Working as a Fox Sports pundit during the World Cup, Ibrahimovic later confirmed the story, recalling that both players had been represented by the late super-agent Mino Raiola.

"I saw him with his long ponytail and said, 'You keep that hair because that hair is going to take you where you want to go,'" Ibrahimovic said.

Haaland certainly had little reason to change anything during his first World Cup. The Manchester City forward scored seven goals in five matches as Norway reached the quarterfinals for the first time in the country's history, ending a 28-year absence from the tournament.

Although Norway's run ended in a 2-1 defeat to England, Haaland chose to focus on the bigger picture.

"I think how we put Norway on the map is maybe one thing that touches me the most," he said. "Hopefully, now, we can establish something when it comes to Euros, World Cups and everything because our generation is amazing."

Haaland is now expected to take a short break before returning to Manchester City for the start of the new Premier League season.