Why Weston McKennie's hair is red, white and blue for USA 2022 World Cup games

David Suggs

Why Weston McKennie's hair is red, white and blue for USA 2022 World Cup games image

Soccer is nothing if not artistic expression. What better way to express yourself than through one's luscious locks?

Plenty of footballers have employed ambitious hairstyles in the past. From David Beckham's bizarre cornrows to Stephan El-Shaarawy's gelled mohawk, it seems more and more players are willing to take risks when it comes to styling their coiffures to give them that extra bit of edge on — and off — the field.

American midfielder Weston McKennie is no exception. The combative 24-year old has sported his fair share of creative looks over the years. But few stand out as brightly as the one he's rocking for the 2022 World Cup: his hair is all black, save for a small spot near the top of his forehead. That territory is shrouded in red, white and blue spray, a statement style for one of the USMNT's most outspoken players.

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Here's the skinny on McKennie's enthralling cut:

Why Weston McKennie dyed hair red, white and blue

McKennie's latest look is perhaps his most ambitious. The Juventus midfielder, who typically sports a bleached blond spot on his mane a la Wiz Khalifa, decided to dye the bleached part of his coif red, white and blue . . . just like the American flag.

Here's a glimpse of the eye-catching choice, courtesy of the USMNT's official Twitter page:

Isn't it lovely?

McKennie hasn't yet spoken about his colorful 'do, but when you dye it that brightly, words don't really do it justice, do they?

Weston McKennie's hairstyle history

McKennie hasn't previously pulled off a coif quite as heart-stopping as the one he's sporting in Qatar. But his hair journey has been a sight to see over the years.

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For much of his Schalke days, McKennie could be seen donning his interpretation of a high-top fade. It was a bip that allowed him to show off some serious length while also remaining clean and orderly.

Sometimes, less is more, and McKennie wasn't averse to keeping his length shorter while in Gelsenkirchen, occasionally pulling off a mid fade.

As his hair got longer, McKennie was able to try different styles and textures. Here he is in 2020 sporting more pronounced curls than he did in his early Schalke days.

Weston McKennie - USMNT

Since making his move to Juventus in 2020, McKennie has been able to express himself more. Not only is he making late dashes to the box more regularly and finding the back of the net with more consistency, he also has been allowed to let his hair flourish, opting for the patch of bleached hair toward the end of 2021.

Weston-McKennie-112721-Getty-FTR

It's a look he has perfected in recent years — although he did try his luck at some gel twists toward the end of the 2021/22 season. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by U.S. Soccer MNT (@usmnt)

He went back to his famous bleached blond spot for the 2022/23 season and has since added the red, white and blue tints for the USMNT's 2022 World Cup run. What a man!

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.