A photo of retired Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain with a scruffy beard and balding hair has gone viral, according to multiple reports. The image, posted on X by user @marcosmondria10, purportedly shows Higuain in Miami with a long, bushy beard and balding hair. The user claimed the photo was not AI-generated and described the person in the photo as looking battered and disheveled, adding that they support him anyway. According to multiple reports, the post has garnered 7 million views and 85,000 likes, sparking widespread debate on social media.
According to major media outlets, Higuain scored 335 goals in 710 appearances for club and country, winning six league titles and a World Cup silver medal with Argentina. He had a brief loan at Chelsea in the 2018/19 season, where he scored five goals in 18 games and won the Europa League as an unused substitute, as per Chelsea's official records. He retired from professional football in 2022, according to multiple reports.
In his retirement press conference, Higuain gave an emotional speech, saying he wanted to retire as an MLS champion with Inter Miami. However, according to MLS records, Inter Miami lost to New York City in the first playoff round, preventing him from achieving that goal. Since retiring, Higuain has remained based in Miami, sources confirm.
Marca newspaper on X questioned the identity, asking if it was really Higuain. Mundo Deportivo reported that the image is causing a stir and many question whether it truly depicts the former forward. It remains unclear whether the man in the photo is definitely Higuain, what his current activities are, or how he feels about the viral attention.