Over the years, we’ve seen David Beckham experiment with countless memorable hair styles, from the boyband-esque frosted tips of his ‘90s footballing debut and that infamous mohawk to his peroxide buzzcut and those equally infamous cornrows. And yet, the former footballer’s latest look could prove to be his most talked-about yet.
Why? At first glance, Beckham’s new hairdo is remarkable precisely because it’s so nondescript. It’s shorter and a little darker than usual, with a noticeably uniform hairline – hardly what we’re used to from someone who is famed for switching up his style in such a dramatic way. However, upon seeing photos of the star in Hong Kong this week, where he was speaking at a press conference for insurance company AIA, some fans were quick to point out the apparent contrast between Beckham’s new look and the much thinner hairdo shown in photos taken just days before, when he was relaxing poolside on holiday in Miami.
NOW READ: David And Victoria Beckham's Relationship Timeline
Relationship Timeline: Victoria And David Beckham
1 of 291998
The happy couple moments after their wedding announcement.
2 of 291999
David and Victoria share a moment before flying to Ireland to get married.
3 of 292000
See here, the infamous durag David chose to wear to meet Prince Charles.
4 of 292001
The Beckhams always did couple dressing well, right down to the matching chunky cross chains they wore to the NRJ music awards.
5 of 292001
Spotted at the 2001 Silver Clef Awards.
6 of 292002
Another memorable style moment when the Beckhams attended David Furnish's 40th birthday at Jewel bar in London.
7 of 292003
The MTV music awards was a bejeweled highlight for the pair.
8 of 292003
And this is why the 'black blazer and a pair of jeans' look was such a thing...
9 of 292003
Remember when the Beckhams moved to Spain? It was the early development of David's affection for beanies.
10 of 292003
Victoria and David had dinner at the Ivy in London .
11 of 292004
At the 19 Management's 19th birthday party David and Victoria shared a sweet moment on the red carpet.
12 of 292005
The beanie returned in L.A. As did Victoria's fleeting appreciation for bohemian-inspired styling.
13 of 292006
The Beckhams were pictured on a shopping trip in Paris.
14 of 292006
Another memorable style moment for the Beckhams as they arrived in Venice.
15 of 292007
If anyone were to resurrect the nickname 'Posh and Becks', this image of the pair at the Sport Industry awards is probably one of the ones that comes to mind.
16 of 292008
David and Victoria hit the red carpet at the superhero-themed Met Gala.
17 of 292008
A formal look for the New York launch of the couple's his and hers perfume, 'Signature.'
18 of 292009
The couple launched a collaboration with Adidas, one of their first fashion partnerships.
19 of 292010
David, Victoria, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz scrubbed up for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year awards.
20 of 292011
The couple were invited to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
21 of 292012
Victoria wore a dress from her own collection for the Vanity Fair post-Oscars bash.
22 of 292012
The whole family (minus baby Harper) supported Victoria at the West End launch of the Spice Girls musical, Viva Forever.
23 of 292013
The Beckhams attended the premiere of The Class of 92 en famille.
24 of 292014
David and Victoria returned to the steps of the Met in 2014, bringing back their matchy-matchy couples aesthetic with these white outfits.
25 of 292015
Attending the British Fashion Awards.
26 of 292016
On a trip to Shanghai.
27 of 292017
A night out in Mayfair.
28 of 292018
Looking chic at the Louis Vuitton show.
29 of 292018
David and Victoria were guests at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Windsor wedding.
Naturally, online speculation has tended towards one big question: has Beckham, 43, potentially undergone a hair transplant to counter the thinning hairline? When The Sun reached out to his representative for comment, he told the paper that ‘it was a matter of privacy whether it’s false or true.’ So don't expect him to confirm or deny the rumours any time soon.
Indeed, Beckham doesn't exactly appear to be letting this speculation get to him. On his Instagram account, he has been waxing lyrical about his trip to China, sharing a snap of him (and, yes, his new hairdo) on the Great Wall and writing, 'I feel so lucky that my work allows me to travel and to see beautiful places like this.'