Cristiano Ronaldo has reignited controversy surrounding Argentina’s run to the FIFA World Cup 2026 final after his verified Instagram account liked a video accusing FIFA of helping Lionel Messi’s side progress through the tournament.
Event Context
Screenshots circulating on social media showed Ronaldo’s verified account, @cristiano, among those who had liked the Instagram reel.
The video was uploaded by the Instagram account of Spanish television programme Espejo Público before Spain faced Argentina in the World Cup final. It featured journalist Pilar Rodríguez Losantos making serious allegations against world football’s governing body and questioning the legitimacy of Argentina’s route through the knockout rounds.
“Argentina are a team who should have been eliminated approximately five matches ago, with the help of FIFA, which is one of the most corrupt institutions on planet Earth,” Rodríguez Losantos said in Spanish.
She also suggested that Spain would effectively be competing against FIFA president Gianni Infantino as well as Argentina in the final, alleging that the governing body wanted Messi’s team to remain in the tournament.
The timing added another layer to the controversy. Portugal’s own World Cup campaign had ended against Spain in the round of 16, with Ronaldo later confirming that the tournament had been his final appearance on football’s biggest international stage.
Also Read: ‘Nothing to blame them for’: Argentine media absolves players after Spain domination and ugly World Cup final brawl
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina later rejected claims of bias and defended the independence of the officials. Controversial refereeing decisions, however heavily debated, do not on their own provide evidence of corruption or deliberate manipulation.
Argentina went on to defeat England 2-1 in the semi-final before losing 1-0 to Spain after extra time in the final. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute as Spain secured their second World Cup title and ended Messi’s final appearance at the tournament in defeat.
Despite Argentina failing to lift the trophy, Ronaldo’s Instagram activity has ensured that allegations surrounding their journey to the final will continue to generate debate long after the tournament’s conclusion.
Ronaldo’s like fuels Messi-Argentina controversy
The incident immediately became linked to Ronaldo’s long-running rivalry with Messi, which has divided football supporters for nearly two decades. Any public interaction involving one player and criticism directed at the other is closely scrutinised, making Ronaldo’s like particularly significant.
Questions over the officiating during Argentina’s campaign had intensified following their dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt in the round of 16. Egypt were angered after a goal was disallowed following a VAR review, while a late penalty appeal was rejected shortly before Argentina scored the winner.
Team Analysis
Ronaldo has not made any public statement explaining why he liked the post. His interaction cannot be treated as a direct accusation from the Portugal captain, but it has inevitably been interpreted as an apparent endorsement of the video’s central argument.
