An Arsenal enthusiast who had pledged not to trim his facial hair until his team secured a league victory has finally ended his 10-year beard-growing journey.
Rafal Goral, aged 45, decided to bid farewell to his 57cm beard over the weekend. The refinery worker expressed feeling like he had somewhat lost his identity by shaving off the beard he had been growing since 2016.
In March of that year, Rafal made the commitment when Arsenal, then under the management of Arsène Wenger, had gone over a decade without clinching the Premier League title. Throughout this period, Rafal witnessed four other teams claim the championship, while Arsenal’s quest for success persisted.
The dedicated football supporter was elated when Mikel Arteta’s squad emerged victorious last month, prompting him to dye his beard red and shave it off during Arsenal’s Premier League Title celebration on Sunday.
Hailing from Chelmsford, Essex, Rafal remarked, “I feel like I’ve somewhat lost part of myself. I almost feel like a stranger to myself, and I’m sure others will see me that way too.”
He added, “It was a challenging decision to make, to be honest. I thought it would be easier. I was nervous, but I always keep my promises. Let’s go, Gunners.”
Rafal admitted that it might take some time for him to adjust to his new look. Despite eagerly anticipating showing his face to people physically, he also expressed some reluctance about it.
Reflecting on his girlfriend’s reaction, Rafal shared, “My girlfriend was disappointed. She didn’t even want to look at the photo after I shaved. I’ll see her next weekend in person. I guess I’m no longer her Viking.”
Remaining true to his word, the refinery worker impressed his colleagues, to whom he had made the pledge a decade ago. Nonetheless, many of his colleagues, who support Spurs, doubted he would stay committed to his vow.
Having been a devoted Arsenal fan for nearly two decades, Rafal said, “In my current workplace, there are many Spurs fans, so one day I announced that I wouldn’t shave until we won the league.”
“People joked that I would resemble Gandalf! No one believed I would actually do it, but for the last three years, I kept saying that the clippers would come out when we finished 2nd.”
He added, “The initial year or two were quite frustrating. I had hoped for a quicker outcome – if it had happened within the first three years, that would have been fantastic.”