Do the curls atop the Brazilian defender’s head make him a better football player?
Definitely not. But Gatorade claims otherwise and is seeking to make Luiz’s locks an even bigger talking point at this World Cup.
Orlando Laitano, a consultant for Gatorade Sports Science Institute, said: “There is a study showing that when you have a bald head, you are actually more exposed to heat stress than when you have hair.
“David Luiz is more protected from heat stress because of the amount of hair that he has. As long as he does not cut his hair, I think he can have an advantage over other people.”
Luiz’s Brazilian teammates, however, seem dubious that his hairstyle does him any favours.
“He thinks he looks good with that hair, I think it looks ridiculous,” said Brazil’s goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
Tottenham and Brazil midfielder Paulinho said: “His hair is really weird but, if he likes it, what can I do? It’s taste right? I can’t argue about taste!”
