Ruben Amorim has apologised to viral Manchester United supporter Frank Ilett for failing to end his long running haircut challenge, meeting him face to face at the Portugal Football Summit. The former United head coach spotted Ilett, known online as The United Strand, and pointed straight at his hair.
Ilett started the challenge in October 2024 and has refused to cut his hair until United win five matches in a row. Amorim never delivered that run during his time in charge, and the pair crossed paths for the first time since his exit, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.
Ruben Amorim Apologises to Fan Frank Ilett at Summit
The exchange was brief but pointed. Amorim clearly knew exactly who he was looking at when their paths crossed in Portugal, and the gesture said more than words needed to.
Ilett shared details of the meeting on Instagram after bumping into Amorim at the summit. He wrote:
“Great to meet Ruben Amorim at the @portugalfootballsummit. He saw me, pointed to my hair and said ‘sorry about that!'”
Despite the challenge dragging on far longer than he expected, Ilett said he holds no grudge against his old target.
“Still have love for him,” he added.
Speaking to talkSPORT before Amorim’s exit, Ilett had explained where he hoped to eventually get his hair cut.
“There’s nothing concrete yet, there a few talks. But, my ideal thing would be to get it cut at Old Trafford by one of the players,” he said.
Ruben Amorim couldn’t help the Haircut challenge
Ruben Amorim arrived from Sporting CP in November 2024 to succeed Erik ten Hag, but the rebuild never gained pace. His debut season ended in 15th place, and United sacked him in January with the team sixth in the table, meaning Ilett’s five-game target was never reached under his watch. Our earlier report detailed the price United paid for that decision.
Ruben Amorim has since taken charge of AC Milan, who sit fifth in Serie A. Speaking about his adjustment to Italian football and reflecting on his tactical adaptation at AC Milan, he said:
“I can’t repeat my mistakes from Manchester.”
He has also been addressing criticisms from former players since leaving Old Trafford, and explained how his methods have changed since arriving at the San Siro.
“If we don’t have the characteristics to play a certain way, we have to adapt. We’ll go back to building with three, but we’ll see. Here in Italy, the coaches are very good, especially at going after other teams one-on-one,” he said.
What Happens Next for Ilett and Little Princess Trust
Ilett’s challenge continues regardless of who is in the United dugout, with the club still needing five straight wins before he touches his hair. He plans to donate it to the Little Princess Trust, a charity that provides wigs for children who lose their hair through cancer treatment.
He remains hopeful of arranging the moment at Old Trafford itself.
“I completely understand why they haven’t been in contact with me, I completely get that,” Ilett told talkSPORT. “But I’m hoping once there’s maybe a bit more of a positive vibe around results and things like that, if we’re on four-in-a-row, then hopefully they might feel like they’re in a place to sort that out for me.”
For now, United’s form under their next manager will decide when Ilett finally gets his moment, and how much he can raise for a cause close to his heart.
