Marek Hamsik is a true legend of the game, and chances are, if you are a football fan, you are aware of just how fantastic he was during his prime years.
He has been the face of Slovakian football for many years and has played at massive clubs such as Napoli.
With all that in mind, you would assume that he would be an easy footballer to recognise – but you would appear to be wrong.
Fans don't recognise Marek Hamsik without mohawk
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Can you take a picture, please?
🇸🇰 Marek HamÅ¡Ãk: “Sometimes people don't recognize me without the mohawk!”
“A group of Macedonian fans asked for a picture but they just wanted me to take a picture of them.”
“I did and told them I know Goran Pandev, they didn't believe me. They googled and recognised me,… pic.twitter.com/b40T8HiZo1
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) June 29, 2024
Given his iconic status across Europe, Hamsik is no stranger to fan encounters; in fact, he has often relished them over the years.
But, this may be the first time he has dealt with one of this nature.
The 36-year-old, who has now retired from football and is currently serving as Slovakia's team manager, donned an impressive mohawk for the majority of his career as a player. As a result, it appears as though supporters didn't pay as much attention to his face as they should've.
Speaking ahead of his side's Round of 16 clash with England, the former playmaker said:Â “Sometimes people don't recognize me without the mohawk!
“A group of Macedonian fans asked for a picture but they just wanted me to take a picture of them. I did and told them I know Goran Pandev, they didn't believe me. They googled and recognised me, then we took a picture.”
Given his drastic change of appearance since his retirement, which has seen him adopt a more conservative hairstyle, it's likely many of us would've made the same mistake.
Have any other players had iconic hairstyles?
Iconic hairstyles aren't unique to Hamsik however, and here are some more players who you may want to pay a little more attention to so you can avoid making a similar mistake in the future should they change their appearance too.
Over the years, current Roma winger Stephan El Shaarawy has been celebrated not just for his talent, but also for his flamboyant mohawk in a similar fashion to Hamsik. However, with the Italian forward now in his 30s, that mohawk has faded ever so slightly and he could be another who shaves it off completely once his playing days are over.
Another footballer who has donned an iconic mohawk during his career is Arturo Vidal, albeit in far less eye-catching fashion than the previous two examples. The 37-year-old, who is still playing in the first division of Chilean football, is likely also edging ever closer to retirement. When that happens, make sure you keep an eye on any hairstyle changes he makes.