Former Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Pinto won legions of fans for his iconic cornrow hairstyle, but the star who is a friend of Lionel Messi now looks completely different

Iconic Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Pinto looks completely unrecognisable from his playing days and now works as a Zumba teacher.

Pinto, who is now 46, earned cult hero status during a six-and-a-half year spell at the Nou Camp from 2007 to 2014.

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Originally signed on loan as cover for the injured Albert Jorquera, Pinto made three appearances in his first five months at the club.

That loan spell turned into a permanent deal in the summer of 2008, with the Spaniard soon becoming an integral part of Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering side.

He might well have been the understudy to Victor Valdes, but Pinto played a crucial – if unseen – role in the dressing room.

Jose Pinto won lots of fans thanks to his iconic hairstyle

A hugely popular member of the squad, the former Celtic Vigo man was one of the players responsible for music before the match and remains one of Lionel Messi’s closest friends in football, even to this day.

Pinto ultimately played only 90 games for Barca but still managed to win nine major trophies, including the treble in 2009.

Since retiring in 2014, Pinto has embarked on a life far removed from those famous Champions League nights at the Nou Camp, choosing to switch his attention instead to fitness, dance and music.

Pinto looks unrecognisable now with a completely different haircut to his time at Barcelona

Pinto has fused together his love of sports and music

But fitness fanatics who turn up for drills could be forgiven for mistaking the two-time Champions League winner for someone else entirely.

Pinto, who earned cult status at Barcelona for his iconic cornrow hairstyle, now looks completely different.

Gone are the long threads of hair that once slinked back into a ponytail, replaced by a stunning black quiff that would make Elvis Presley blush.

The retired Barca star is clearly loving life away from football and has even set up his own dance fitness company, P13Fit, which already has over 37,000 followers on Instagram.

Pinto often leads classes overlooking a stunning marina

Music also remains a real passion for Pinto, who told Billboard magazine in 2017 that his team-mates always knew he would go into music after his career finished.

“All of the guys knew what I was going to do,” he said.

“They saw me studying my sound engineering books on the plane when we travelled.

“A lot of people know me as a football player, but I was composing songs when I was 14.

Pinto starred alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona

“I’ve always liked music and I’ve always liked sports. Music always helped me be a better athlete.

“Music has always been an escape valve for me.”

Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that Pinto has combined his love of music and sport into something that he enjoys with others in the form of his dance-themed jump rope workouts.