Zayn Malik sports thick beard as he reveals VERY rugged appearance in an unreleased football shirt after friends shares fears for his wellbeing after 1D

Daily Mail​

07-05-2025

Zayn Malik revealed his new rugged look as he sported a full beard and his longer hair pushed back in a hair band in an Instagram post.
The musician, 32, who was wearing a pink Bradford City AFC shirt, shared the snap to his Stories with fans on Tuesday evening.
Zayn has been rocking the more unkempt look in recent weeks, after previously showing off a closely-shaved appearance while on tour earlier this week.
The former One Direction star was wearing gold hoop earrings and a colourful necklace, as he revealed his side profile in the sexy shot.
Zayn is a huge Bradford supporter and showed his commitment to the side in the new shot after attending games over the years.
Following the team's recent promotion to League 1 Zayn showed his support as fans gathered in Centenary Square for the open-top bus parade.
The musician, 32, who was wearing a pink Bradford football shirt, shared the snap to his Stories with fans on Tuesday evening
Zayn posted an image to his 53.6 million followers on Instagram of himself in a yet-to-be-released pink City top.
The team will wear the shirt when they kick off the new season following their promotion later this year.
Zayn, who was born in the city, was name as an ambassador last year for its City of Culture celebrations, of which he was expected to attend.
At the time, Zayn - who now spends much of his time in the US - said: 'I've travelled all over the world but my roots and family remain in Bradford.'
The announcement was made at Valley Parade, the home of Bradford City AFC, Zayn's beloved soccer team.
In a video message, Zayn said: 'Bradford is and always will be home to me.
'It's a very special place and I'm happy to see it being recognised as the UK City of Culture for 2025.
'There are some exciting projects I am taking part in throughout the year that I can't wait to share with you.
'Now we can celebrate this great city and the people who live and work here with the rest of the world.'
The new snap comes as Zayn's daughter Khai, four, was credited with 'saving him' by his friends and motivating him to turn his life around.
Zayn, welcomed his daughter with ex Gigi Hadid, in September 2020 before the pair called it quits on their romantic relationship for good in October the following year.
Since leaving One Direction in March 2015, Zayn has battled crippling anxiety, faced concerns about his drug use and hit the headlines after being filmed during a shirtless altercation in New York.
While last year saw him dealing with the tragic death of his former bandmate Liam Payne, leading him to postpone his debut solo tour - the first in a number of delays to the tour.
But last month, Zayn successfully completed his Stairway to the Sky shows, concluding in Mexico City with the words: 'We got there'.
And now his daughter has been credited with helping him make the 'incredible turnaround', after fears that it could have 'gone so differently', according to The Sun.
A source told the publication: 'Friends inside and outside of the music industry are incredibly proud of the man Zayn has become.
'It could have all gone so differently - there have been genuine concerns for him over the years, but the storms he has weathered have given him strength and clarity.
'Finishing the tour was a huge hurdle for him to overcome. It's been an incredible turnaround. Fatherhood has been the making of him. Khai has absolutely saved him.'
Last year, Zayn himself explained how fatherhood had changed him, admitting Khai unlocked a love in him he'd never had before.
Opening up about his daughter on The Zach Sang Show, he said: 'I feel like my daughter brought that colour back in my life.
'She just makes me happy. I have so much love in me that I didn't have before she was born.
'She laughs all day. She wants to do the silliest things and she gains so much excitement from it. She just has a whole fresh perspective on life that had somewhat become grey for me.'
He added: 'She's a force of nature. She's given me maturity. She's forced my sensibility to become this mature father for her, this good responsible role model that takes accountability for their actions and sticks to their work and proves that my word is bond.'
Zayn splits custody with supermodel Gigi, 30, who he began dating in 2015, before a brief split in 2018 and again in 2019, and then a final separation in 2021.
Their decision to finally call things off once and for all was reportedly caused by tension between Zayn and and Gigi's mother, Yolanda Hadid.
Zayn was charged with four counts of harassment after he pleaded no contest to the charges after allegedly pushing Yolanda into a dresser and calling her a 'f*****g Dutch s**t' in September 2021.
Court documents revealed that he had to complete 360 days probation in addition to completing an anger management class.
However, the former couple seem to have put the drama behind them, with them now sharing an amicable co-parenting relationship.