There is no more iconic haircut than the one the great Ronaldo Nazario had going into the 2002 World Cup. He had the entire world talking about his hair for an entire month, and it was even more iconic because we got to see him lift the biggest prize in world football with that cut.

Children all over the world wanted that haircut, and many of them got it. But the thing is, that was not the most flattering haircut; not for adults and surely not for kids. It was a pretty horrible haircut, if we’re being totally honest. No wonder Ronaldo came out to apologize to mothers who had to witness their sons get that haircut because of him 20 years ago.

Anyway, today, what we want to know today is why Ronaldo even got that haircut in the first place? It’s not like that was his signature haircut. He just got it for the 2002 World Cup. He didn’t have the haircut before, and he didn’t have it after. So, why did Ronaldo Nazario get that strange haircut in the 2002 World Cup?