For many years, hair styles have been the trade marks of football players, especially those from the African continent.
Hairstyles are used by the players to attract attention and for expression on and off the field of play.
The hairstyles range from, braids, dreadlocks, fancy cuts and even bleaching.
The most common hairstyles among African players are dreadlocks and bleaching and many players do it ahead of major tournaments like the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Even in Botswana, hairstyles have been trade marks for certain players and most popular are dreadlocks and bleaching.
But it now looks as if those attractive hairstyles are slowly vanishing and most players prefer brush cuts and even clean shaven scalps. Several players, like Mosimanegape Ramohibidu, Tumisang Sekanonyane (BMC), Bosarutweng ‘Booster’ Magola, Kebatlogetse, ‘Go man’ Batsweletse Gaborone United), Monametsi ‘Sunday’ Kelebale (Extension Gunners) wear dreadlocks.
It is uncommon nowadays to spot a player with blonde hair, and the last famous one in Botswana was the injured Notwane goalkeeper, Kagiso Tshelametsi when he was still at FC Satmos.
The blonde style made Tshelametsi even more popular in 1999 when he led an unfashionable Satmos to the Finals of the Coca-Cola Cup where they lost to Mogoditshane Fighters. It can be remembered that at the time, Satmos were new in top flight football as they had just been promoted from the First Division.
Pontsho Moloi likes to retouch his hair which he sometimes plaits into cornrows.
The majority of the players, even in the lower divisions, do not prefer those fancy hairstyles.
Gunners coach, Daniel Nare, has observed the trend in change of players’ hairstyles. He told Sunday Standard that the hair style that is becoming common is the cornrows. He gave the example of Moloi, Gobonyeone ‘Shoes’ Selefa, Kenanao ‘Floh’ Kgetholetsile and Star Ramponwane.
Nare also added that it is not only in Botswana but also in other big countries where hairstyles are used by players to attract attention and to make some sort of statement.
