It’s no secret that football fans are the true meme detectives of the internet. One minute we’re discussing tactical formations, and the next we’re debating whether Harry Maguire is secretly Shrek’s long-lost cousin.
This strange but wonderful phenomenon of football lookalikes has gifted us some iconic comparisons over the years—like David Luiz channeling Sideshow Bob or Lionel Messi, who once got photoshopped into a whole bunch of Game of Thrones scenes.
And now, welcome Rico Lewis to the mix, with fans convinced that his hair is an ode to Bob’s classic animated locks.
Why Does Rico Lewis Look Like Sideshow Bob? Also, who is Sideshow Bob?
Manchester City have had amazing players sign for their club throughout the last decade. They have completed the Treble, won the league 4 times in a row, and won countless other trophies. Some would say achievements that put them on par with their fierce city rivals United in terms of accolades, at least on paper.
However, in this amazing decade as a club for Manchester City, one thing that they probably would hope to improve is their youth academy. Especially, homegrown talent, being able to breakthrough and play permanently in the first XI. Phil Foden has been an ode to that, but fans are also hoping the young 19-year-old versatile midfielder, Rico Lewis, can further be another example.
Lewis has been trusted by his manager Pep on many occasions throughout this season and before, often playing him in multiple roles, both as a right-back and as a midfielder. The youngster scored 2 goals and registered 4 assists last season for City, but most of his performances were pretty good for someone so young, playing first-team football at that level. (stats by transfermarkt)
But, as mentioned before, in spite of this promising profile as a player and personality, the internet does what it wants to, and when Rico took part in the Champions League pre-match press conference this week, fans were quick to compare the City Academy graduate to none other than Sideshow Bob.
For those uninitiated, Sideshow Bob, the antagonist from The Simpsons, is known for his distinctive exaggerated red curls, elaborate plans, inevitable failures, and his less-than-successful schemes against Bart Simpson (a popular character in the show).
If you’ve ever seen Sideshow Bob’s gravity-defying hair on The Simpsons, you might be forgiven for doing a double-take when Lewis walks onto the pitch. And while he may not be outwitting Bart Simpson anytime soon, the comparisons are hilarious—and pretty spot on.
It’s the way those curls bounce as Rico storms down the field. You half expect a rake to appear out of nowhere for him to step on (Google that Sideshow Bob moment if you don’t know!). At least Rico doesn’t seem too bothered by the comparisons; maybe it’s time for his own cartoon cameo.
Big Hair, Big Potential: Footballers who emit personality with their hairdo!
David Luiz walked so Rico Lewis could run. With footballers, having iconic hair is almost as important as their skills on the pitch—just ask Marouane Fellaini, who is the best man in the whole of Belgium to absolutely don an afro.
The Belgian was a handful for defenders back in the day, with his strong physical presence, and most of its power indeed came from his afro. Or look at Pogba’s ever-changing colors in his hairstyles over the years, or even better, David Beckham’s mohawk phase, which got him a shoe thrown at him by the great Sir Alex Ferguson and later, of course, was asked to completely shave it off.
Be it noodle-hair Ronaldo or a young Neymar’s long Mohawk, one thing is for certain footballers: eccentric people, and many transmit their energy and personality via nothing but, yes, their hair!
Why the Internet Loves Comparing Footballers to TV Characters
Football fans have a knack for spotting these bizarre resemblances. We’ve seen everyone from Diego Costa being compared to a caveman to Thomas Müller as the human embodiment of Macaulay Culkin’s Home Alone scream. It’s become almost an inside joke in the community. Why? Well, because football isn’t just about the beautiful game anymore; it’s about the personality, the memes, and the larger-than-life characters that come with it.
Other famous similar meme spectacles involve Luis Suarez’s resemblance to Sid from Ice Age because of his teeth; Mesut Ozil’s being compared to Gollum from Lord of the Rings because of his bulgy eyes; Wayne Rooney to Shrek; Julio Cesar to Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story; Paulo Dybala to Danny Phantom; Peter Crouch to Timmy from South Park; and Edinson Cavani to Tarzan. In recent times, Kylian Mbappe has also been compared to Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Football and pop culture are a match made in heaven, especially in the meme era. When fans see a resemblance between their favorite players and cartoon characters, it’s an instant win. It’s the internet doing what it does best: blending the worlds of sport and entertainment. In Rico’s case, the memes have only made him more lovable. If anything, it’s given fans a reason to smile while watching City dominate possession—because even the most intense game is more fun when you imagine Sideshow Bob chasing down strikers.
Hey, look at the end of the day Rico Lewis wasn’t supposed to be a meme icon—he was supposed to be a Manchester City star in the making. And I’m sure he will be, with the sheer talent he possesses but here we are, talking about how a young footballer’s hair has catapulted him into meme royalty. That’s a testament to what power the fandom and especially football fans all over the world hold!