Photo Credit: Kelly E. Carter

You never know who you’re going to meet at Meydan, Dubai’s premier horse racing track. For us, it was American soccer star Geoff Cameron, who just happened to be in the suite next to ours during our recent visit. We couldn’t resist asking him several questions, including a few about, yes, his famous hair.

The Boston native who was part of the United States national team during the 2014 FIFA World Cup was in Dubai last week with his fellow teammates from Stoke City, the English Premier League team he’s played on for the past few seasons. The UAE’s glitziest and sunny emirate proved to be the perfect place for the soccer team to practice and relax after escaping the dreary United Kingdom in between matches.

Cameron, 29, looked snazzy from head (literally) to toe in Ferragamo shoes, Diesel 3/4 khakis, an All Saints shirt and Alexander McQueen sweater.

“I knew we had to dress up for this,” he said. “Usually I just wear shorts and a t-shirt and I’m straight. They said no jeans allowed.”

HL: What do you think about Dubai?

GC: I came to Dubai last year for the first time. It’s absolutely beautiful. Flying over, you think about it: Iran is just right across the water and you’re kind of in an area where Americans are in a tough situation. But Dubai is a very westernized area. You have Dunkin’ Donuts here. You have Applebee’s. You have everything—-Nobu—everything! It’s the ritz and the glamour. It’s like New York (and) Vegas on steroids. It’s absolutely beautiful with the architecture. Everything is well kept. It’s clean.

HL: You’ve been in England now for three years. What do you miss most about the States?

GC: Sunshine and home cooking.

HL: What have you been doing while you’re here?

GC: We’ve been training in the morning and then have time to go shopping. Most of the guys go (to the Dubai Mall) and spend a fortune. I prefer to stick down to the beach, lay out, play some volleyball and just kind of relax like I’m having a little break. I feel like it’s summer. I enjoy the sunshine, talking to the people and taking in a culture that people might not understand. These people are very, very nice and they accept everybody. The hardest thing is the media. There’s such negative media with religion nowadays. They don’t get the full perspective of how these people are. You have to be accepting and open and realize there are other cultures besides ours.

HL: Let’s talk style. Are you a watch guy?

GC: I like Hublot. I love the feeling of the band on the watches. It’s a sportier but also a slick look.

HL: What about fashion?

GC: My favorite brand at the moment for clothes is Tiger, which is a Swedish brand, and Kooples. The one I just found recently when I was in Paris was Karl Lagerfeld. He’s definitely out there but his style is unique. It catches my eye.

HL: What about shoes?

GC: I’m a Nike dude. I rock everything Nike. I’m one of their main athletes with their new brand, Nike F.C. It’s more of a street brand, which I feel is more of the style right now. You can wear a suit but you can wear tennis shoes with it. It’s cool.

HL: We have to ask. What hair products do you use?

GC: Good question. I don’t know. My barbershop, Flanagans in England, sorts it out.

HL: You must travel with some products.

GC: I don’t know what I have. It’s like a paste.

HL: Does your hair get messed up when you play?

GC: No. It stays. It’s a stronghold. I consider my hair game to be on point. I call it the G Cam. My barber does too. Overall, style is up to you as an individual. You can be creative in so many ways, as long as you’re comfortable with it. People are always going to look and question but that’s when you start a trend. Or people say, “Oh that’s cool. I didn’t know that could go with that.”

Photo Credit: Kelly E. Carter