Norway has made plenty of noise on the road to the World Cup in the USA – and it is not just about the results. Erling Haaland's team has returned to the tournament for the first time since 1998, demolished Italy 4–1 away and sent Gennaro Gattuso's side into the play-offs. Yet in that match the crowd's attention was drawn not only by Haaland's customary brace. On the right side of the defense Julian Ryerson shone – not only with his performance, but also with a leopard-print hairstyle seemingly made for big screens and memes.
Norway Is Back On The World Stage – And Doing It In Style
For Norway, the very fact of returning to the World Cup is an event of historic proportions. A national team that for years was associated with missed opportunities is now coming to the USA as a genuinely dangerous opponent. In Italy the Norwegians delivered a statement performance – relentless pressing, rapid transitions into attack, a Haaland brace and confidence in every line. Against this backdrop Ryerson has become the perfect symbol of the new Norway: this team no longer just works quietly and systematically – it is not afraid to be bright and a little audacious.
Hair As A Manifesto: From Dennis Rodman To Norway's Snowboarders
Ryerson's leopard-pattern hair instantly went viral on social media. Some fans joked they were ready to have Norway disqualified from the World Cup for that haircut alone, while others compared the defender's head to the official ball of Euro 2008. The most popular association, though, was a reference to mid-90s Dennis Rodman.
In reality, the Chicago Bulls legend did not actually have a leopard print on his head back then, but a pattern made up of repeating number 33s – that was how Rodman marked the return to the court of Scottie Pippen, who played under the number 33. Nevertheless, the visual effect was similar: the hair was part of the spectacle surrounding the sport.
There are also more "local" references. Norwegian snowboarder Daniel Frank appeared with a similar hairstyle at the medal ceremony of the 1998 Olympics and collected a silver medal. A similar style was tried by Netherlands forward Shanice van de Sanden at the 2019 World Cup – her team also reached the final and finished with silver, losing to the USA. So leopard hair in sport has long since become a symbol not just of flamboyance, but of big tournaments and big ambitions.
From Viking To Borussia: A Modest Hero With Unrestrained Aesthetics
Ryerson is a textbook example of a player who usually stays in the shadow of the attacking stars. A product of Norwegian club Viking, he has been building his career in Germany for years: first with Union, and since 2023 with Borussia Dortmund. Last season he shut down Kylian Mbappe in the Champions League semi-final and made people talk about him far beyond regular Bundesliga followers.
Off the pitch, though, Julian hardly looks like a "grey" full-back. Who else these days turns up for training in a vintage Mercedes 190 SL Retro, as if driving straight off an old Hollywood film set? In the summer of 2023 he shared holiday photos on social media – in them he sported bright pink hair, another nod to his "I do it because I want to" attitude.
Pink Hair, A Retro Convertible And The Freedom To Be Yourself
Ryerson himself explains his image very simply: he grew up around old cars, his father was always tinkering with classic models, and driving with the roof down in the sun is pure joy for him. Hairstyles belong to the same category of spontaneous pleasures. Pink hair on holiday, a leopard print now – none of this is part of a carefully planned PR strategy, it is just a mood he has no intention of hiding. "Sometimes it just pops into my head and I do things like that," is roughly how he describes his philosophy.
Half American – But His Heart Belongs To Norway
An interesting detail: Julian's father is American. In theory he could have chosen the United States national team and now be preparing for a home World Cup as one of the hosts' players. But Ryerson tied himself to Norway and will go to the States as part of his native team. The irony is that it is there, in American stadiums, that his nods to pop culture, Rodman and the spirit of the 90s will look especially appropriate.
When Pop Culture Highlights A Footballing Identity
The story of the leopard hair is not just a funny meme before the World Cup. It is a useful indicator of how football culture itself is changing. A player is no longer confined to the role of a "cog in the machine" – he can be a vivid personality, perform at the very highest level, shut down Mbappe in the Champions League and at the same time show up to training in a retro convertible and run out onto the pitch with a Dennis Rodman-style haircut.
For the new Norway that is even an asset: a team that spent so many years in the shadows now knows not only how to beat giants like Italy, but also how to build a narrative around itself. And Julian Ryerson, with his leopard hair, American roots and Norwegian stubbornness, is turning into the perfect face of this side – a little crazy, very ambitious and absolutely ready for the big show in the USA.
