Beckham, Gattuso, Jadeja and the best facial hair in sports, plus a few horror shows – in pictures

We pick some of the most memorable beards and moustaches in the game

THE BEST: Oregon Ducks' strength coach Aaron Feld has the best facial hair in the history of facial hairs. Period. Getty

NBA star James Harden sports a classic thick beard, which surely requires a lot of maintenance. Getty

It is difficult to imagine football great Andrea Pirlo without his spectacular whiskers. Getty

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's half beard is timeless and classic. Getty

Gerard Pique's 'unkempt' beard is spot on. Getty

David Beckham never has one hair out of place. His beard is just as immaculate. AFP

India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, left, has arguably the best beard in cricket. AP

It is simply not possible to get a more manly beard than that of former NFL player Brett Keisel. getty

A simple and powerful look for American goalkeeper Tim Howard. AFP

Italian great Gennaro Gattuso his maintained his immaculate beard that he sported during his playing days. AFP

THE WORST: What was Michael Jordan thinking with this 'stache? Courtesy: Youtube

What Lanny McDonald of the Calgary Flames sported in 1986 is called 'the walrus'. Many find it impressive, but we aren't convinced. Getty

Former Cleveland Cavaliers player Scot Pollard decided this look was OK to be shown in public in 2007. Getty

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers took experimentation to a new level. Reuters

Bobby Jenks of Chicago White Sox coloured his soul patch pink for Mother's Day in 2008. Great gesture, but unfortunately not a good look. Getty

Sports is as much about projection of power as it is about winning. And for men, having the right look goes a long way in exuding that confidence.

Mixing style and statement, some sports stars have made their facial hair a powerful part of their persona.

However, not everyone gets it right. Some have gone a bit too far and come up with styles that we wish didn't see the light of day.

Above is a picture gallery of the best facial hair in sports, plus a few forgettable ones.