WHAT is it with footballers and hair?

The rest of the male population these days favour variations on short hair -- ranging from a Grant Mitchell all-off job to Peter Kay's more civilised cheeky schoolboy look.

But there hardly seems to be a single team in the World Cup that doesn't boast a contingent of long-haired lads.

In spite of the ultimate (and wonderful) match outcome last Friday, Argentina completely out-haired England on the day.

Only goalkeeper David Seaman made any attempt to compete in the "Best Hair Tied Back In An International Tournament" trophy. And only David Beckham could possibly win the Hair Awards' "Most Innovative Style Using Less Than Three Colours and Loads of Hair Gel" section.

No. Instead we had Danny Mills and Rio Ferdinand attempting to dazzle the opposition by reflecting the sun off their shiny domes.

And Nicky Butt and Michael Owen looking like head prefects at a sporting academy.

Then, just when you thought "the mullet" was finally dead in football (in spite of David Ginola's heroic efforts), the South Americans and the Italians take to the pitches of Japan with long locks flying.

I spent a large part of their matches trying to identify who on the team bench was the team hairdresser. Then decided he was the one who looked totally worn out.