Manchester United - Marouane Fellaini follows in the footsteps of Aaron Ramsey and goes for a blond afro ahead of Euro 2016 campaign

Marouane Fellaini and blond bombshell... two phrases you are unlikely to have heard in the same sentence. Until now.

                  Marouane Fellaini has revealed his new, bleached blond hairstyle on social media ahead of Euro 2016

A week before Belgium kick off their Euro 2016 campaign against Italy in Lyon, Manchester United's afroed midfielder has made his hairdo even more recognisable by going for the peroxide look.

In a post on Twitter, Fellaini proudly showed off his peroxided locks with the not-too-catchy tagline 'here we go with Blondie Felli.'


He is the second prominent Premier League player to have reached for the dye in the immediate days before the European Championship, with Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey having gone for a fresh and striking appearance just last week.

And in doing so, the Belgian has become the closest thing football has had to Carlos Valderrama since the iconic Colombian retired in 2002.

                  Fellaini also brings to mind images of the former Colombia icon Carlos Valderrama, who retired in 2002
Fellaini must surely not be trying to disguise himself after a season in which he was constantly criticised for his dangerous use of the elbow, and branded a 'thug' by former World Cup final referee Howard Webb.

Instead, maybe the United man is searching for a change of luck with his new hairstyle, as the entire Romanian national side believed would be the case when they went blond en masse at France 98.

           Fellaini's hairstyle is reminiscent of the Romanian national side dying their hair en masse at France 98
Given Gheorghe Hagi and Co exited that tournament in the second round, however, Fellaini would have been wise sticking with his natural hue.
Still, footballers have been pulling off the look with varying levels of success for a number of years.

Djibril Cisse banged in the goals in front of the Kop with a bright white Mohican, while Abel Xavier - the former Liverpool and Everton defender now in charge of Mozambique - sported enough variations on the theme to fill several catalogues over the course of his career.

Mario Balotelli and Mamadou Sakho have both favoured the look, while Radja Nainggolan could well have influenced his international team-mate.

With Belgium's opening match in Group E appearing rapidly on the horizon, 'Blondie Felli' will be hoping to make as big an impression on the pitch with his country at Euro 2016 as he has off it.