10 footballers you won’t recognise with hair from Andy Johnson to Fabien Barthez

As footballers know, you can have all the money, fame, and talent in the world, one thing you can’t stop is male pattern baldness.

Antonio Conte,Wayne Rooney, and Andros Townsend may have decided to cover up their ever-receding hairline with expensive operations, but the pictures of themselves from before are there for all to see.

However, there is another sort of player. The ones who just owned it without a care in the world.

Here Daily Star Sport presents ten notable examples of footballers who you just won't recognise with a full set of hair…

Andy Johnson

In the mid-noughties, one of the hottest prospects in the Premier League was Andy Johnson.

But while his career was taking off at Crystal Palace, so was his hair.

It was at his first professional club, Birmingham City, where he possessed the lovely hair of a Disney prince.

Brad Friedel

Throughout his extensive Premier League career, Brad Friedel was best known for his brilliant saves, twangy American accent, and shiny head.

But alas, it was not always like this for Friedel.

Back when he was playing for teams such as Columbus Crew, he in fact had some nice mousey brown hair.

Though admittedly pictures showed it was starting to go a bit, even in the early nineties when he was a youngster.

Arjen Robben

Do you recall any other notable examples? Let us know in the comments section…

Though the Dutchman possessed a bit of fluff while at Chelsea, it was during his first spell at Groningen he really showed off a glamorous, slicked-back flock.

Robben spent four professional seasons in his nation of Holland before enjoying a glittering career with the Blues, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich.

He made the return to Groningen last season and made six appearances before retiring, completely bald no less.

Franck Leboeuf

During his time at Strasbourg, Franck Leboeuf boasted a lovely full set of hair.

Of course, we remember more from his days at Chelsea, where he was often confused from the TV viewers’ perspective with Gianluca Vialli.

Fabien Barthez

The ever-polarising Fabien Barthez might be credited with being one of the first true sweeper-keepers.

In the early noughties at Old Trafford, his pale bald head often contrasted the all-black, Vodafone Manchester United keepers’ kit.

But indeed from his time in France – specifically Marseille and Toulouse – he did enjoy a full head of brown hair.

Esteban Cambiasso

It was more in his later years, like at Leicester City, that Esteban Cambiasso was fully bald.

We mostly remember him from his Inter Milan tenure, clinging to that last bit of hair that lightly cocooned around the back of his skull like a giant palm.

But yes, as a youngster in the San Siro, the Argentine enjoyed a golden flock – though we dare say he hung to it for a bit too long.

Bobby Charlton

Arguably England’s greatest-ever player was known for his trophy-laden days with Manchester United – and quite astounding side-sweep.

During his youth with the Red Devils during the late 1950s, Charlton could be seen with a stupendous, fresh blonde barm.

No wonder he wanted to keep hold of it for so long.

Andres Iniesta

During their early days at Barcelona, it was sometimes hard to tell who was who out of Andres Iniesta and Xavi.

Both were slight, of relatively the same age, while they played in a similar position.

However, Iniesta’s unfortunate pattern baldness made distinguishing the pair a lot easier as time went on, and even more so when the greyness started to kick in also.

Roberto Carlos

Roberto Carlos only ever sported a light afro during the early stages of his career.

It’s the only person on this list who we’re not sure if he shaved all his hair off to be fashionable or whether he suffered the from perils of pattern baldness.

Either way, he pulled the bald look off fantastically.

Pepe Reina

Son of Barcelona goalkeeper Miguel Reina, Spanish keeper Pepe Reina started his career with the Catalan giants.

And it was during this time where he had some bountiful dark brown hair.

Soon the hair fell down to his beard and that’s been his distinct look ever since.

Jaap Stam

It might surprise you to know that Jaap Stam did have hair once.

Even during some of his time at PSV, Stam had a flock of light-brown hair.

But just two years later when he joined Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in 1998, there really was not much left of it.

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