The London Hair Stylist Who’s Become a World Cup Regular
Amid the chaos of a 2026 World Cup that has already produced its fair share of drama, one of the most quietly remarkable figures hasn’t kicked a ball. Jayèma — real name May Jika, originally from Plaistow in east London — has spent the tournament travelling between training camps and team hotels, styling the hair of footballers from England, Brazil, the United States and Canada.
According to a feature published by The Guardian, Jayèma was brought into the England setup by Noni Madueke and Marcus Rashford ahead of their opening group match against Croatia. She may yet return to the fold — she told the paper she is ready to fly to Kansas City or Miami should either player “give me a call to retouch their hair” before England face Norway in their quarter-final on Saturday. You can follow the build-up and check the latest standings on our World Cup 2026 hub.
What makes Jayèma’s story stand out is how little football actually features in her world. She attended the England versus Mexico match at the Azteca Stadium — her first ever men’s game — but left before the final whistle because the atmosphere was too intense. “The Mexicans were rowdy,” she said, though she admitted feeling genuine pride when England came through. Jude Bellingham, who scored twice, had been chatting with her earlier in the week; she had no idea he was a player until she looked him up on social media.
She had a similar moment of realisation with Jordan Henderson, who helped carry her bags on arrival at the England house. She was later shocked to learn he had broken his wrist during the post-match celebrations.
Away from the England camp, Jayèma has been working with Brazil’s Raphinha, whose braided style she has helped develop across multiple tournaments. “I feel we launched a look for him,” she said.
Jayèma’s route into elite sport is unconventional. She opened an Afro-Caribbean salon in the Vicarage Field shopping centre in Barking at the age of 17, having formed the plan at 15. Her work caught the attention of WNBA players, including A’ja Wilson, who posted about her online and invited her to the Paris Olympics in 2024. That led to introductions with LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant — none of whom she recognised at first, a reaction she says they appreciated.
With England’s quarter-final approaching, keep an eye on our live standings for all the latest results as the tournament enters its business end.