Last night at BBVA Compass Stadium, there was a little party with some guests from Spain, and like with all parties, there were a few surprises. This one, though, is perhaps the greatest.

We all know that Dominic Kinnear's relationship with hair on his head has a long and somewhat, uh, tortured, or shall we say "mulletted" history.

A shirtless Richard Eckersley, yesterday
After racking up their many league win, Toronto FC players have been given a much-deserved (?) rest during the International break. While some of the squad have been called into duty for their National sides, the remaining players and staff get to enjoy a little fun in the sun before their next MLS fixture.

By Chris Wright

Hot on the heels of 'Write The Future' (remember Rooney's beard?) comes Nike's latest major tournament bells-and-whistles big-budget viral, 'My Time Is Now', starring the like of Sneijder, Ribery, Van der Vaart, Ozil, Ronaldo, Neymar, Iniesta, Pique, Pato, Old Uncle Tom Cobley, etc, etc, etc.

Blackburn Rovers fans are helping their side to avoid relegation by growing Gael Givet style beards. The Ewood Park faithful will mimic the missing musketeers facial hair in a bid to inspire their side to safety. OTP isn't sure exactly how it works, but let's run with it. Steve Kean's side will face a close [.

Image: Leo Bancroft Twitter. Cheers for the spot, Mumtaaz!

Few moments in our history are as big as this. Cristiano becoming a baby daddy. The Iker beard-shaving incident. Victoria Beckham wearing flat shoes.

Deep breaths.

So, let's just state the obvious: our beloved bottle blond, Fernando Torres, has touched up his manlights.

Watching Chelsea win in the Champion's League during the week, I was astounded to see former-red, Raul Meireles latest look.
Apart from his absurd haircut, he has now also gone for a fully-grown ginger beard aswell, he looks grotesque.
At the time, I was sorry to see him leave Liverpool FC with his great link-up play among the forwards and goals last season.

From 1974. Look at Phil Lesh's beard! And what is it about women from back then? The really long hair perhaps.

Anyway, London's in fine form, the sun's beating down gently and pleasantly. Best of all, now I'm cycling to and from work I don't get the downsides (sweaty underground trips) and enjoy the open air to the full.

From 1974. Look at Phil Lesh's beard! And what is it about women from back then? The really long hair perhaps.

Anyway, London's in fine form, the sun's beating down gently and pleasantly. Best of all, now I'm cycling to and from work I don't get the downsides (sweaty underground trips) and enjoy the open air to the full.

Here at the Liverpool Offside we've got some shocking news to share with you today: Andy Carroll thinks Steven Gerrard is kind of awesome. No confirmation on whether he thinks he's big and fucking hard, too, though if you really dig for it you could infer that he does. And that could probably get a little awkward for some of you if we decided to mention Steven Gerrard's Groin alongside regular Steven Gerrard right about now.

Figo's poor distraction ploy was doomed from the start. Images: DESIREE MARTIN/AFP/Getty Images.

Terrifying trousers on hot footballers is something we've had to get used to in our time, but Luis Figo has confounded us with his late, spectacular entry to the hall of shame. The former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Portugal international sported these spotty monstrosities whilst playing in the Abama Pro-Am Golf Tournament last week, and while golf trousers are notoriously heinous, we're positive that not even serial style offender Ian Poulter would have gone near these things with a nine-iron.

All the stuff being covered outside the unfriendly confines of the award-winning Dirty Tackle...

Do all Premier League footballers cook dinner with ties on their head? Probably. [Kick]

Zidane v Materazzi, the statue. [TBG]

Messi says Pep Guardiola is Barcelona's most important person.

By Chris Wright

This? Oh, it's nothing really. Just a photo of Sergio Aguero and his father-in-law Diego Maradona (who, I'm led to believe, was a footballer of some distinction at one point) having just booked in for a game of squash at the David Lloyd Fitness Centre in Cheadle, Greater Manchester.

New York Red Fools Arsenal have sparked controversy across the pond after claims they sent an imposter back to New York in what's being seen as a desperate attempt to keep hold of Thierry Henry. Red Bulls sporting director Erik Soler told the New York Times: "A gentleman showed up for training on Friday with [.

On the same day as reports that Chelsea players responded to Andre Villas-Boas harsh critique of their recent performance by giving it right back to him, Porto president Pinto da Costa announced that Villas-Boas is being undermined by players who still exchange text messages with Jose Mourinho.

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- Series of Photos from Aston Villa vs QPR
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The first leg of Barcelona's Copa del Rey semifinal against Valencia was a bit of an odd game for them. Not because they failed to win away from home -- that's become something of a norm this season -- but because Lionel Messi had a penalty kick saved (plus he's got some kind of beard-like facial growth going on) and Carles Puyol scored their only goal.

Image via lavozlibre.com.

Tattooist Leo Millares (above left) is a man who spends too much time with his hands on footballer flesh for our liking. His latest work, posted on Twitter before the ink had even dried, is a set of replica pooch prints on the tummies of Guti and his lady love Romina Belluscio.

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-- Next Newcastle: Stats/Past Results/Past Joint Players
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- For comprehensive and latest QPR news-related pieces and discussion, visit the football-only, somewhat-different QPR Report Messageboard. All QPR Perspectives genuinely welcomed! Or comment on any of the articles posted below - QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!

By Ulysse Pasquier

Anyone who follows football knows the amount of emotion that the sport can bring in a split second. From total despair to intense euphoria, every fan is ought to have experienced his fair share of hair-raising moments. What happened at the Emirates yesterday however transcended all these feelings.

Ducky's Note: Guest Writer Sagar Arora has this to say about himself Amateur Blogger. Has nothing to do but watch Arsenal's Invincible Season again n again and shed a tear or two. Firmly believes that he was born to follow Arsenal. Equally respects other English clubs barring Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.

Croatian/ Tottenham footballer, Niko Kranjcar, was spotted looking worse for wear after leaving night club C London last night.

O-M-G Niko. Please have a seat. We need to chat.

You know we lurve you and every inch of your toned thighs and tousled hair.

But this macabre ensembe concerns us.

By Chris Wright

So, Guti (along with his lovely lady WAG Romina Belluschio) attended the premiere of the latest Mission Impossible film in Madrid last night with an alarming smattering of facial growth affixed to his chinny chin chin...

Ahem. I'll just leave this here.

Guti, his girlfriend Romina Belluscio and 'exciting' new face fungus attended the Madrid premiere of 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' last night. Images: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images Europe, PacificCoastNews.com.

It isn't so much the actual growing of the beard that's bothering us here.

Farewell then to Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira. Better known throughout the world simply as Sócrates, captain of perhaps the best side not to win the World Cup. 60 caps and 20 goals for Brazil; drinker; smoker; political activist; humanitarian; surely one of the greatest, coolest players to grace the game.

"Well, I can hear something rattling when you move your head..." Image: Claudio Villa/Getty Images Europe.

The search continues for the neuron that causes Daniele De Rossi to repeatedly remove his shorts during football matches. If it can be isolated by our team of undercover agents (represented by this nice gentleman with a ginger beard), we plan to introduce it to all players' brains.

Frank Lampard, Christine Bleakley & Simon Le Bon at the video launch of Duran Duran's 'Girl Panic!' at The Savoy Hotel on November 8. Image: Dave Hogan/Getty Images Europe.

What's the most upsetting thing in this photo? Simon Le Bon's beard? The fact that he is no longer the lithe, happily hairsprayed creature some of us used to gawp at on Saturday morning TV?

By Chris Wright

What with him still carrying a fair bit of sway down Naples way, it wasn't particularly far-fetched that Diego Maradona should turn out for Napoli's Champions League tie with Bayern Munich in Bavaria t'other night.

So, when a gaggle of fans spotted Maradona milling around the beer halls of Munich before the game they understandably got a little excited and started swarming around him, hoping to get a photo of the diminutive Argentinian legend.

Here at the WNT Blog we admit we don't know nuthin' about dancin', but we thought that Hope Solo's Samba on last Monday on Dancing with the Stars was awfully impressive and perhaps her best performance of the competition. (Hey, apparently Hope Sambas better than she Rumbas). We do know that Maks' Werewolf/Wolverine beard was certainly a highlight as well.

By Chris Wright

Picture the scene: You're Iker Casillas, your beard is marvellous. Being the saint you are, you leave the house in good time to make it to training on time when a wild traffic jam appears on the motorway...

Being the diligent, honest soul you are, you take a photograph as proof of your vehicular malaise and send it to your manager as proof of your predicament, along with an apology for your imminent tardy arrival .

By Chris Wright

This here is Tomas Fidra. He's a referee. He's also a card-carrying, paint-on-the-shirt, smells-like-a-tramp's-beard piss artist.

Indeed, Czech police were forced to breathalyse Fidra after he showed up to the regional match between Jestrabi Lhota and Tynec-nad-Labem 'smelling like a brewery' and 'unable to stand up straight' before duly sending off three players for no apparent reason and spending most of the match sprawling on the floor.

Forgive me, but I haven't watched Match of the Day for a few weeks. Imagine my surprise when I turned on the BBC's coverage of the Spain vs Scotland game during the week to find that Gary Lineker looked somehow different.
At first, I wasn't really sure what it was, and then - when I looked a bit more closely - I realised that there appeared to be something on his face.

Newcastle United captain Fabricio Coloccini picked up his 2011 Player of the Year award from the Newcastle United Disabled Supporters Association last week. Fabricio Coloccini receiving his award from Chairman Gareth Beard Fabricio has been little short of a revelation in the Newcastle United shirt over the last two seasons, as Newcastle have fought their [.

David De Gea's living the charmed life. He's young, talented, rich, playing for Manchester United and he seems to be skating by unscathed from criticism about that diabolical patch of facial hair which is surely a result of new signee hazing at Old Trafford. (It's the only logical explanation, really.

By Chris Wright

Huzzah! Razor-merchants Braun have just announced that they have thrust a small fortune Jose Mourinho's way in return for him signing up as their new 'global brand ambassador' meaning that he'll now be gouging people's eyes out with the supreme confidence that having a face as smooth as Isaac Hayes singing a ballad about a baby's bottom tends to afford a man.

So our friends at Barca sent this cool video as part of the club's new campaign to foster "healthy eating habits". In it, Lionel Messi appears as a cross between the a 14-year-old version of himself and Tin Tin the detective. "I know that if I train and eat well, I will win the Ballon d'Or," he drawls lazily, clearly unaware they would be using this footage again 10 years later.

Video highlights and reaction

When Arsene Wenger spoke about the need to add consistency to our game, like most of you I thought about a sequence of results and performances which would win points for the football club. I'm pretty sure that he did too, looking to add to the midweek draw and the win against Swansea last weekend.

Video highlights and reaction

When Arsene Wenger spoke about the need to add consistency to our game, like most of you I thought about a sequence of results and performances which would win points for the football club. I'm pretty sure that he did too, looking to add to the midweek draw and the win against Swansea last weekend.

Neatly trimmed beard and cheeky quiff? Deeply disturbing, apparently. Image: REUTERS/Jean-Philippe Arles/Daylife.

This might not seem like a particularly big deal, but Javier Pastore's habit of veering between visually appealing hair arrangements and sartorially challenging amateur topiary is upsetting some of of our staffers.

We're back to discuss the week that was in MLS as the playoff chase heats up. We also cover listener e-mails and theorize about Ted's beard. On the phone this week, correspondents from Columbus, DC, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Salt Lake, San Jose, LA and Chivas USA. CSRN MEDIA PLAYER

We're back to discuss the week that was in MLS as the playoff chase heats up. We also cover listener e-mails and theorize about Ted's beard. On the phone this week, correspondents from Columbus, DC, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Salt Lake, San Jose, LA and Chivas USA. CSRN MEDIA PLAYER