Brazil kicked off their 2022 World Cup knockout stage campaign with a Round of 16 clash against South Korea in Doha.
Tite's side secured top spot in Group G, despite defeat to Cameroon in their final group match, and their talisman Neymar has returned from injury in time for the crunch tie.
The PSG star was forced off with an ankle injury in Brazil's tournament opening 2-0 win over Serbia, and missed the following two matches, with major concern over his return for the Samba Boys.
However, despite the initial negativity, Neymar's rehabilitation has done the trick for the 30-year-old, and he opted for a bold blonde hair dye to mark his comeback.
MORE:Brazil vs South Korea live: World Cup score, highlights, result from 2022 Round of 16 match
Why did Neymar dye his hair blonde?
Neymar's new look may not just be for style's sake. Chalk it up to superstition for the flying forward, based on his scoring twice against South Korea earlier this year in a friendly with the same dyed blonde hair.
β ππ‘π ππ©π¨π«ππ’π§π πππ°π¬ (@sportingnews) December 5, 2022Superstitions π€ sports
See Also2024 Hair Trends: The Best Cuts, Colors and Styles to Try This YearCoolest Hairstyles for Indian Men l Trending Hairstyles 2024Brazil legend Ronaldo insists infamous haircut was tactical - "I'm not proud"Why Do Professional Athletes Shave?Neymar flew out his barber to dye his hair blonde ahead of today's match as he previously scored two goals against South Korea while blonde.
πΈ: Nariko_Hairstyle (Instagram) pic.twitter.com/7SxnwKubvt
He flew his barber out to Qatar to complete the job and maintained his streak against South Korea, scoring on a penalty kick early in the match.
Neymar's hair color in last game vs. South Korea
Neymar's original decision to dye his hair blonde for the 5-1 friendly win over South Korea in Seoul in June appears to have been motivated by a simple style changeβ despite rumours that we he was trying to imitate teammate Richarlison.
The move to bring it back seems to a need to revive his mojo from that game and keep luck on his side on his return from injury.
Who is Neymar's barber?
Neymar's new look has thrown his barber into the spotlight ahead of the game, afterDailson dos Reis(nicknamed Nariko) boarded a flight from Paris to Doha, to freshen up his look.
Nariko has worked as Neymar's personal stylist during his time in the French capital, despite being Brazil based, with a string of other Brazilian internationals also on his appointment list ahead of the tournament.
He retains a salon in his hometown of Sao Vicente, alongside units in Paris, and his profile has continued to grow after accompanying the Samba Boys to two World Cups.
He was also responsible for shaving an image of Neymar's face into a young Barcelona fan's hair back in 2015 and other audacious cuts.
Neymar lookalike at FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Neymar's new image marks him out from the crowd at the 2022 World Cup and it could be a sensible move based the emergence of a lookalike in Qatar.
Eign Oliveira, AKA 'Ney's Lookalike', has been spotted regularly during the tournament, with fans often unable to tell the difference between them.
Oliveira has shown his dedication to mirroring Neymar's look by wearing Brazil training gear and sunglasses during his frequent appearances in Doha.
π¨ Neymar lookalike fooled the security at stadium into thinking it was actually him pic.twitter.com/cU9uITiiNo
β SPORTbible (@sportbible) November 30, 2022
One of the most bizarre instances involving him at the World Cup, was a Puma store in Doha being forced to close, as fans rushed to get an autograph with 'Neymar'.
Neymar's son also gets a new look
Not wanting to be left out of the battle for the most eye-catching haircut, Neymar's son, Davi Lucca, has shown his support for the team by shaving the Brazil flag into his hair.
Fofo! Davi Lucca, filho de Neymar, pinta bandeira do Brasil na cabeΓ§a antes de jogo da seleção π§π· https://t.co/sAv9z0nj9e pic.twitter.com/kEFF3oA8Kh
β Portal R7.com (@portalR7) December 2, 2022
