From Bobby Charlton to Attilio Lombardo, from Drew Jarvie to Jim Duffy, the bald footballer has a proud and noble history.
But is the bald pate being forced out the game?
Take Dundee FC skipper Kevin Thomson for example.
Whatever happens to the Dark Blues this season, it will certainly be a hair-raising experience for Thomson who, along with club fitness coach Tom Ritchie, will be getting a hair transplant at Glasgow’s KSL Hair Clinic once the season ends.
The company has already weaved its magic on Celtic stars Anthony Stokes and Leigh Griffiths while former Dundee United player Noel Hunt is also getting a transplant from the clinic this year.
“It’s been on my mind for some time now and more and more people seem to be getting it done,” said Thomson.Have we missed any classic baldies? Let us know at online@thecourier.co.uk“I’ve seen the results up close and I liked what I saw.”
He added: “I did not want to go bald. Keeping fit and healthy is very important to me, as it’s my career. So, why not make the change to keep my hair looking fit and healthy?”
KSL’s Simon Lindsay said a procedure called Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is used, which sees hair taken from the back of the head and re-implanted on the top.
He said: “We take single hairs from the back and then implant them on the scalp.
“The process takes all day, from about eight in the morning to four in the afternoon but it’s not like the old days when you used to have to have two or three treatments.
“People will start to see healthy hair growth in about four to six months.”
He added that since Wayne Rooney had the first of his hair transplants in 2011, the procedure has become increasingly popular.
But while a fuller thatch may improve players’ confidence, the loss of the bald player has to be mourned.
Here is The Courier’s all-time greatest bald XI, who we are sure would have opponents pulling their hair out:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ggQWovqHTMQ%3Frel%3D0Fabian
BarthezThe French keeper’s bald head was kissed for good luck before each international match.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=vyGi5DzADckFrank
LebouefBarthez’s French teammate also looked a lot like the World Cup they both won.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=bSNbMsROhxs%3Frel%3D0Jim
DuffyThe Dundee legend’s hairless head can now be seen in the dugout at Greenock Morton.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=j8PSjn7ASnMJack
CharltonWon the World Cup with his brother and fellow baldy Bobby Charlton (see below).
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ieW_MYSYRaM%3Frel%3D0Eamonn
BannonThe Dundee United legend also showed male pattern baldness is no barrier to sporting success at Chelsea and Hearts.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=cYrWxb7UMVo%3Frel%3D0Zinedine
ZidaneOne of the greatest players to grace the field, his career ended in ignominy when his bald spot got too close to Marco Materazzi’s chest.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=eyJTBrbPIHQ%3Frel%3D0Archie
GemmillScorer of Scotland’s greatest ever World Cup goal. Also, bald.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=s4D6iKdY68Y%3Frel%3D0Temur
KetsbaiaThe Georgian is another whose naked noggin graced the Dens Park pitch.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=YLXXL36EmJg%3Frel%3D0Bobby
CharltonThe Manchester United and England player was almost has famous for his comb-over as his footballing skills.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=QPUWAUSO7xc%3Frel%3D0Drew
JarvieThe striker spent 10 years at Pittodrie, winning the League and League Cup. He was bald throughout.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=167yLCR5ooo%3Frel%3D0Jan
KollerThe Czech striker was 100 feet tall and very bald.
Subs:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=5pAefP5bfPY%3Frel%3D0Wayne
RooneyPre-hair transplant, of course.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yw2xbit6sZI%3Frel%3D0Yordan
LetchkovScored the winning free-kick against Germany in the 1994 World Cup. Was the keeper distracted by a reflection off his head?