Cristiano Ronaldo spotted liking Instagram post critical of FIFA after World Cup controversy
Cristiano Ronaldo has sparked fresh debate after appearing to like an Instagram post that contained strong criticism of FIFA following a World Cup dominated by controversy both on and off the pitch. The Portugal captain, whose tournament ended with a last-16 defeat to eventual champions Spain, was noticed interacting with a post featuring comments made by Spanish journalists Pilar Rodrigues Losantos and Ruben Amon during a television discussion ahead of the World Cup final. While a social media "like" does not necessarily indicate agreement with every opinion expressed in a post, Ronaldo's activity quickly attracted attention given the intense scrutiny surrounding FIFA throughout the competition. The governing body faced criticism from sections of the football world over a number of refereeing decisions, disciplinary issues and wider tournament management, with debate intensifying as Argentina progressed to the final before ultimately losing 1-0 to Spain after Ferran Torres' extra-time winner. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say During the television discussion shared on Instagram, Rodrigues Losantos questioned FIFA's handling of the tournament and suggested Argentina had benefited from decisions during their run to the final. She said: "Argentina is a team that should have been eliminated about five matches ago... Consequently, Argentina doesn't scare me at all; what scares me is Infantino. "I believe we won't just be playing against Argentina, but against the entire FIFA institution." Her fellow panellist Ruben Amon was equally critical of football's governing body, arguing rising ticket prices had damaged the sport's accessibility. "I consider FIFA to be an abject, mafia-like, and shameful organisation," he said. Neither FIFA nor President Gianni Infantino has accepted allegations that the tournament was manipulated or unfairly influenced. Spain's victory in the final also eased some of the criticism directed towards officials after Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off late in normal time, although debate continued over several refereeing decisions during the tournament. One of the most discussed moments in the final came when Nico Williams had a goal ruled out following a foul in the build-up, despite the challenge in question being soft. LATEST SPORTS NEWS: Spanish pilot fools Argentina fans into thinking Lionel Messi has won World Cup before brutal twist Alex Scott rejects new Bournemouth contract as Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea eye transfer Gary Neville tears into Argentina with 'bag of s**t' comparison after Spain World Cup final defeat Earlier in the competition, Algeria questioned why Lionel Messi escaped disciplinary action following a challenge on captain Aissa Mandi during the group stage, while Egypt expressed frustration after a series of VAR decisions in their last-16 defeat to Argentina. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan suggested afterwards that his side had been treated unfairly. "We were better, but football is unfair," he said. Later, Switzerland also voiced anger following their quarter-final exit. The biggest flashpoint came when Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for simulation after VAR advised referee Joao Pinheiro to review an earlier incident under the competition's mistaken identity protocol. The officials concluded Embolo had initiated the contact, resulting in the booking being transferred from Argentina's Leandro Paredes to the Swiss striker. After the match, Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka admitted the decision was difficult to accept. "The rules are the rules and we can't change them but it's a decision where you kill the game," he said. Team-mates Manuel Akanji and Remo Freuler, along with head coach Murat Yakin, also questioned aspects of the officiating, although the VAR decision itself was made in accordance with the competition's regulations. FIFA also faced calls to investigate Argentina after players displayed a banner stating "Las Malvinas son argentinas" following their semi-final victory over England. Political slogans and banners are generally prohibited under FIFA tournament regulations, although no disciplinary action was announced before the final. The governing body has not stated that any officiating decisions during the World Cup were influenced by external factors, and there is no evidence that the tournament was manipulated in favour of any team. Ronaldo has also not publicly commented on why he liked the Instagram post. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Cristiano Ronaldo has sparked fresh debate after appearing to like an Instagram post that contained strong criticism of FIFA following a World Cup dominated by controversy both on and off the pitch. The Portugal captain, whose tournament ended with a last-16 defeat to eventual champions Spain, was noticed interacting with a post featuring comments made by Spanish journalists Pilar Rodrigues Losantos and Ruben Amon during a television discussion ahead of the World Cup final. While a social media "like" does not necessarily indicate agreement with every opinion expressed in a post, Ronaldo's activity quickly attracted attention given the intense scrutiny surrounding FIFA throughout the competition. The governing body faced criticism from sections of the football world over a number of refereeing decisions, disciplinary issues and wider tournament management, with debate intensifying as Argentina progressed to the final before ultimately losing 1-0 to Spain after Ferran Torres' extra-time winner. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say During the television discussion shared on Instagram, Rodrigues Losantos questioned FIFA's handling of the tournament and suggested Argentina had benefited from decisions during their run to the final. She said: "Argentina is a team that should have been eliminated about five matches ago... Consequently, Argentina doesn't scare me at all; what scares me is Infantino. "I believe we won't just be playing against Argentina, but against the entire FIFA institution." Her fellow panellist Ruben Amon was equally critical of football's governing body, arguing rising ticket prices had damaged the sport's accessibility. "I consider FIFA to be an abject, mafia-like, and shameful organisation," he said. Neither FIFA nor President Gianni Infantino has accepted allegations that the tournament was manipulated or unfairly influenced. Spain's victory in the final also eased some of the criticism directed towards officials after Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off late in normal time, although debate continued over several refereeing decisions during the tournament. One of the most discussed moments in the final came when Nico Williams had a goal ruled out following a foul in the build-up, despite the challenge in question being soft. LATEST SPORTS NEWS: Spanish pilot fools Argentina fans into thinking Lionel Messi has won World Cup before brutal twist Alex Scott rejects new Bournemouth contract as Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea eye transfer Gary Neville tears into Argentina with 'bag of s**t' comparison after Spain World Cup final defeat Earlier in the competition, Algeria questioned why Lionel Messi escaped disciplinary action following a challenge on captain Aissa Mandi during the group stage, while Egypt expressed frustration after a series of VAR decisions in their last-16 defeat to Argentina. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan suggested afterwards that his side had been treated unfairly. "We were better, but football is unfair," he said. Later, Switzerland also voiced anger following their quarter-final exit. The biggest flashpoint came when Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for simulation after VAR advised referee Joao Pinheiro to review an earlier incident under the competition's mistaken identity protocol. The officials concluded Embolo had initiated the contact, resulting in the booking being transferred from Argentina's Leandro Paredes to the Swiss striker. After the match, Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka admitted the decision was difficult to accept. "The rules are the rules and we can't change them but it's a decision where you kill the game," he said. Team-mates Manuel Akanji and Remo Freuler, along with head coach Murat Yakin, also questioned aspects of the officiating, although the VAR decision itself was made in accordance with the competition's regulations. FIFA also faced calls to investigate Argentina after players displayed a banner stating "Las Malvinas son argentinas" following their semi-final victory over England. Political slogans and banners are generally prohibited under FIFA tournament regulations, although no disciplinary action was announced before the final. The governing body has not stated that any officiating decisions during the World Cup were influenced by external factors, and there is no evidence that the tournament was manipulated in favour of any team. Ronaldo has also not publicly commented on why he liked the Instagram post. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Source: Gb News