NEW YORK. July 6(AFP): You don't have to have a whacky haircut to be a world Cup footballer, but all

the evidence is that It helps.

True. Carlos Valderamma. the Colombian with the wild strawberry blond locks, was as much of a flop in USA '94 as he was in Italy four years ago. but the fact Is that, hair-wise. Valderamma was always carrying his distinctly tmflamboyant teammates.

In soccer's style wars, strength in depth is always an advantage, a lesson the United States seems to have finally learned.

With hindsight. It was obvious that the short (but not too short) cropped, clean-shaven boys who crossed the Atlantic for Italia '90 never stood much of a chance.

Now. on the strength of Alexei Lalas ginger Afro and goatee. Cobl Jones mini-dreads and Ernie Stewart's skinhead, the current American team clearly has a rosy future in the world's favourite game.

What Is perhaps most remarkable Is that this transformation has been brought about by a coach. Bora Mllutonovlc, who. as far as hair goes. Is still living in the decade of total football.

In other words, he goes to the same barber as Ilie Nas-tase.

The American public too is getting the message that there is a lot more to soccer showing off ihan dribbling.

T don't know much about socctr. but those guys have got great hair." said Sean Miller, a New York hairdresser who is. perhaps over-optlmlstically anticipating a flood qf Lalas Wannabee's into his Manhattan salon. ' DTtsT'

Ever since George Best grew sideburns to match his 20-inch flairs, footballers have been consistently among the most gullible victims of whatever fashion happens to come along in their corner of the globe.

But it is not simply street trends that dictate the follicular make-up of the average player. Hair is hiso a statement, a sign of the true personality lurking behind the fringe and inevitably a pattern has emerged in how different types of a players Interpret the latest modes.

For the player who wants to be seen as creative imaginative and generally a bit artistic, the rule this season Is: Keep it long.

Roberto Baggio's stature in Italy has risen In direct proportion to the increasing length of his ponytail over the last two years. When he had it braided Into plaits weeks before the World Cup — defying clear Instructions to the contrary from his mother— it served only as confirmation that this was going to be his tournament.

Thanks largely to his hair. Baggio's artist status Is now so ingrained that when he plays badly it's automatically the fault of the insensitive coach who

does not know how to give the maestro the freedom he needs to express himself.

Other floppy-haired artists taking a bow at USA '94 included Norway's Erik Mykland. Switzerland’s Alain Sutter and Argentina’s Fernando Redondo.

For Bulgarian goalkeeper Borislav Mikhailov, the World Cup has been a hair renaissance. Last seen sporting a smooth pate, he arrived in the United States with a full head of transplanted hair — and saved two penalties in a shootout with'the Mexico that saw Bulgaria Into the quarter-finals.

Just as long equals creative, short signals quick. Thus the aerodynamic took favoured by Ernie Stewart is all the rage with strikers this summer: Faustino Asprilla. Hristo Stolchkov and Daniel Massaro to name but a few.

For some reason, this development by passed both Argentina and Germany, for whom strikers Gabriel Batistuta and Rudi Voeller scooped the hair fashion faux-pas awards.

Voeller. who is 34. can at least point out that a tight perm and moust. rhe were all the rage among footballers in his youth. But 25-year-old Batistuta was nine when Mario Kempes led Argentina to glory in 1978. He has no excuse for turning up with an identical cut 16 years later.

Defenders, of course, are tod tough to worry about anything as frivolous as their appearance. They've got more Important things to think about. If you don't mind.