London hair stylist Jayèma (real name May Jika) has become an unexpected fixture of the 2026 World Cup, working across the training camps of England, Brazil, the United States and Canada despite admitting she does not really understand or follow football. The profile highlights how a specialist in Afro-Caribbean hair and male grooming has carved out a niche in elite sport, styling high-profile players and drawing warm public recognition from fans thanking her for "looking after our boys".

Jayèma, originally from Plaistow in east London, opened one of the first Afro-Caribbean salons in Barking at the age of 17 and later gained attention through WNBA star A'ja Wilson, who introduced her to figures such as LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant at the Paris Olympics. She has since braided the hair of Brazil's Raphinha and England's Marcus Rashford and Noni Madueke, and befriended Lamine Yamal's family, all while candidly not recognising stars including Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham and Jordan Henderson. She attended her first men's match — the "rowdy" Mexico v England tie at the Azteca Stadium — but left early, and may travel to Kansas City or Miami before England's quarter-final against Norway on Saturday.