April arrived, and with it, the business end of La Liga and the Champions League. Neymar returned from international duty with Brazil looking like he’d just stepped out of a samurai film. The top was long, dark, and swept back into a man-bun, while the sides were shaved into a sharp, military-grade undercut. He called it the “Coque Samurai” (Samurai Bun).
As 2016 limped to its end, Neymar returned to a variation of his roots. The golden fringe was shaved off. The sides were faded to a zero. The top was a natural, jet-black, short crop. It was almost… normal. Almost boring. The football world breathed a collective sigh of relief. He’s finally settling down, they thought. He’s maturing. neymar hairstyle 2016
The world took notice. Teenagers from Tokyo to Toronto started asking barbers for “the Neymar undercut.” However, this look had a tragic expiration date. In the Champions League quarter-final against Atlético Madrid, Barcelona crashed out. After the final whistle, Neymar sat on the turf, his man-bun sagging, his face buried in his hands. The warrior had fallen. By June, as Brazil prepared for the Copa América Centenario in the United States, Neymar knew he needed a transformation. He needed to shed the skin of failure. April arrived, and with it, the business end
And Neymar, with a wink and a flick of whatever color it was that week, always answered. He called it the “Coque Samurai” (Samurai Bun)