Germany's Jamie Leweling gets signed Ronaldo shirt, teases tribute haircut
Germany's Jamie Leweling has revealed that a lighthearted social-media joke about Ronaldo's famous FIFA World Cup 2002 haircut ended with an unexpected gift: a signed Brazil jersey from the legendary striker.
Leweling recently changed his Instagram profile picture to an AI-edited image showing himself with Ronaldo's iconic 'triangle fringe' – the unusual haircut Ronaldo wore during Brazil's victorious 2002 World Cup campaign. The image gained widespread attention online and eventually reached Ronaldo.
According to VfB Stuttgart forward Leweling, a Brazilian reporter delivered the signed shirt to him. He proudly displayed the jersey at a Germany press conference on Tuesday, saying he was delighted that "the real Ronaldo" had sent it.
The story did not end there. Leweling has promised that if Germany win World Cup 2026, he will get the famous Ronaldo haircut for real. "This is my promise to Germany," the 25-year-old told reporters.
The connection between the two players is strengthened by the fact that Leweling was handed Germany's No. 9 shirt for the finals – the same number Ronaldo wore for Brazil when he won the tournament for the second time and finished as top scorer in 2002.
Germany are already through to the World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after wins over Curaçao and Côte d'Ivoire. The four-time world champions face Ecuador in their final Group E fixture on 25 June.
Leweling made his World Cup debut as a second-half substitute against Côte d'Ivoire. He has now won six senior caps, scoring once, since making his debut for the national team in October 2024.
