Cristiano Ronaldo has sparked fresh controversy following the 2026 FIFA World Cup after his verified Instagram account appeared to like a post alleging FIFA helped Argentina reach the tournament final.
According to media reports, screenshots circulating on social media showed Ronaldo’s verified account, @cristiano, among those who liked an Instagram reel posted by Spanish television program “Espejo Público.” The video featured journalist Pilar Rodríguez Losantos questioning the legitimacy of Argentina’s run to the World Cup final and making allegations against world football’s governing body.
“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 the video. She also suggested Spain would effectively be facing FIFA President Gianni Infantino as well as Argentina in the final.
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Ronaldo has not publicly commented on why he liked the post, and the interaction does not itself establish that he endorses every claim made in the video. Nevertheless, the social media activity has fueled debate given the Portuguese star’s long-standing rivalry with Argentina captain Lionel Messi.
The controversy comes after Argentina’s journey through the knockout stages attracted scrutiny over several officiating decisions, particularly during its 3-2 round-of-16 victory over Egypt. Egyptian officials questioned a disallowed goal following a VAR review and a late penalty decision, prompting widespread discussion over the refereeing.
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FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, later rejected allegations of bias and defended the integrity and independence of match officials.
Argentina ultimately reached the final after defeating England in the semifinals before falling 1-0 to Spain after extra time at New York New Jersey Stadium. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute to hand Spain its second men’s World Cup title and deny Messi a second consecutive championship.
Although Argentina finished as runners-up, Ronaldo’s social media activity has reignited discussion surrounding the team’s route to the final, adding another chapter to football’s enduring Messi-Ronaldo rivalry.