Alejandro Garnacho, the rising star of Manchester United, recently found himself at the center of a social media controversy, following comments made by former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand. Garnacho, who has been making waves with his impressive performances on the field, was thrust into an unexpected spotlight off the pitch.
Ferdinand, on his YouTube channel "Vibe with Five," suggested that Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine footballer, had unfollowed Garnacho on Instagram. According to Ferdinand, this was due to Garnacho's evident admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, demonstrated vividly after scoring a spectacular bicycle kick goal against Everton, which he celebrated with Ronaldo's famous "Siu" gesture.
However, this claim was quickly disputed by Garnacho's brother, Roberto, who took to social media to clarify that Messi had never followed Garnacho on Instagram in the first place. Roberto's response was direct and to the point: "Fake, Messi never followed him, stop making stuff up just to create hate, garna loves and admires both of them and you all trying to create a rivalry," he posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Ferdinand, in a follow-up response to Roberto, noted that his comment was meant to be taken sarcastically. Roberto, in turn, explained that his reaction was aimed not specifically at Ferdinand, but at correcting the widespread misinformation about his brother and Messi.
Fake , Messi never followed him , stop making stuff up just to create hate , garna loves and admires both of them and you all Trying to creating a rivalry. https://t.co/mQIW4FFWCa — Roberto Garnacho (@garnakjcc) November 28, 2023
The alleged social media interaction, or lack thereof, between Garnacho and Messi became a talking point, overshadowing Garnacho's performance on the field. Despite being an admirer of Messi, Garnacho has made no secret of his admiration for Ronaldo, often referring to the Portuguese star as his idol.
Garnacho's ascent in Manchester United has been meteoric, with the young forward contributing significantly to the team's recent performances. Following the victory against Everton, Manchester United climbed to sixth in the Premier League standings. Garnacho has contributed two goals in 17 matches across all competitions in the current season.
Meanwhile, Manchester United's recent UEFA Champions League match against Galatasaray ended in a 3-3 draw. Post-match, head coach Erik ten Hag expressed dissatisfaction with his team's defending, stating it was "not good enough."
This incident serves as a reminder of the immense scrutiny and pressure young players face in the era of social media, where off-field narratives can sometimes overshadow on-field achievements.
