Del Bosque told me to cut my hair or forget about football, says Guti

Sep 6, 2013 7:30:00 AM

The former Real Madrid and Spain midfielder claims the current coach of la Roja warned him as a teenager that he would never go far in the game if he kept his long locks

Former Real Madrid midfielder Guti says Spain boss Vicente del Bosque told him he would "never go far" in football unless he cut his hair.

Guti, who is now retired and sporting a shaven look after playing with long hair for almost his entire career, spent 15 seasons at Real and made 542 appearances (77 goals) for the Spanish side - many of those under Del Bosque.

But when a young Guti was progressing through the ranks at Madrid, the 62-year-old (then a youth coach) warned the midfielder that he may never make it big without a trip to the barber shop.

"Del Bosque told me when I was 14 that if I didn't cut my hair then I wouldn't go far in football!" the 36-year-old told Spanish show Punto Pelota. "I didn't do too badly though, he laughed. "I played for many years.

"Now I have finally cut it - but only after retirement!"

Guti, who played 13 times for Spain, went on to praise his former boss.

"He was very special to me - he always said things to try and help me," the former midfielder added.

Del Bosque's Spain side face Finland in a World Cup qualifier in Helsinki on Friday evening at 20:30 CET.