Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Frank Ilett, the social media star known as 'The United Strand,' has once again had to postpone his plan to cut his hair.
The unique challenge, which has been running for 493 days, was forced to continue after Manchester United FC failed to achieve a fifth consecutive win in a crucial match against West Ham United.
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A 1-1 draw on Tuesday night, February 10, 2026, at London Stadium dashed Ilett's hopes of ending his challenge.
Manchester United FC, under interim manager Michael Carrick, had shown promising form with four consecutive wins previously.
Ilett, who started the challenge on October 5, 2024, vowed not to cut his hair until his beloved team achieved five consecutive wins.
Lihat postingan ini di InstagramSebuah kiriman dibagikan oleh Frank Ilett (The United Strand) (@theunitedstrand)
Draw Against West Ham Derails Frank Ilett's Haircut Hopes
Before the match against West Ham United, Manchester United FC was on a positive run.
Michael Carrick's team had recorded four consecutive wins against top teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham, and Tottenham Hotspur, bringing Ilett closer to the end of his challenge.
The crucial match for that fifth win took place on Tuesday night, February 10, 2026, at West Ham United's home ground, London Stadium.
Fans, including Ilett, had high hopes of seeing Manchester United FC secure a victory.
However, the match didn't go as planned after West Ham took the lead through Tomas Soucek's goal in the 50th minute.
Although Casemiro had an equalizer disallowed for offside, Benjamin Sesko ultimately saved Manchester United with a 96th-minute equalizer, ending the match at 1-1.
This draw ended Manchester United FC's run of five consecutive wins, meaning Frank Ilett had to postpone his haircut again.
Ilett, who was live-streaming the match, appeared frustrated and "heartbroken" after the final whistle, although he also saw the positive side of having his hair longer to donate.
Profile of Frank Illet with Unique Challenge
Frank Ilett, 29, born on June 10, 1996, is the man behind the popular social media account '@TheUnitedStrand.'
Although originally from England, Ilett currently lives in Spain and has built a massive fan base.
With over 2 million followers across various platforms, including 1.2 million on Instagram, Ilett is known as a dedicated social media star.
He started this haircut challenge as a way to "spread humor and joy" during a difficult time for Manchester United fans.
Frank Ilett's Hair Challenge Noble Goal
Frank Ilett's challenge began on October 5, 2024, with a simple promise: not to cut his hair until Manchester United FC achieved five consecutive wins.
As of the match against West Ham United, the challenge had lasted 493 days, or nearly 500 days.
Behind his unique stunt, there is a noble goal.
Ilett plans to donate his long hair to The Little Princess Trust, a charity that provides free real hair wigs to children and teenagers who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment or other medical conditions.
Furthermore, Ilett is actively raising funds for the charity, with approximately £6,000 raised so far.
His daily update videos on 'The United Strand' have garnered millions of views.