Did Cristiano Ronaldo accidentally like post accusing FIFA of ‘corruption’?
World Cup held in the US, Mexico and Canada has already been hit by several controversies
Cristiano Ronaldo appears to have sparked fresh controversy after reportedly liking a social media post accusing FIFA of favouring Argentina during the 2026 World Cup.
The incident has added another layer of controversy to a tournament that has already been hit by several talking points, including protests involving Iran, criticism over ticket prices, visa issues, Balogun’s suspended red card and US President Donald Trump’s intervention.
Although the like is no longer visible, screenshots showing Ronaldo’s verified account, @cristiano, among those who had liked the reel quickly circulated on social media, prompting widespread discussion.
The 41-year-old Portuguese star reportedly showed his support for a video shared by Spanish news channel Espejo Público, which suggested that Argentina’s place in the World Cup final against Spain on Sunday, had effectively been predetermined. Ronaldo has not addressed the screenshots or explained why the post appeared in his liked posts before the interaction disappeared.
In the video, Rodríguez Losantos claimed in Spanish that Argentina “should have been eliminated approximately five matches ago” and alleged that FIFA, which she described as “one of the most corrupt institutions on planet Earth”, had helped the team stay in the competition.
She also suggested that Spain would not only be facing Argentina in the final but also FIFA president Gianni Infantino, alleging that the governing body wanted Lionel Messi’s side to remain in the tournament.
Special treatment
Ronaldo is not the only figure to have raised questions over Argentina’s World Cup campaign, with plenty of speculation surrounding the amount of leeway the South American side allegedly received during the tournament.
Argentina were accused of escaping punishment for several incidents on the pitch, while there was also widespread criticism after players appeared to hold up a provocative banner referencing the Falkland Islands following their semi-final victory over England.
Despite the backlash, Lionel Scaloni’s team largely avoided serious punishment during the tournament.
FIFA has now launched an investigation into the scenes that followed the World Cup final, after punches were thrown on the pitch following Spain’s victory.
