Cristiano Ronaldo’s Instagram activity has reignited debate around Argentina’s run to the FIFA World Cup 2026 final after the Portugal captain appeared to like a social media post accusing FIFA of favouring Lionel Messi’s side during the tournament.
Screenshots shared widely across social media showed Ronaldo’s verified Instagram account (@cristiano) among those who had liked a video uploaded by Spanish television programme Espejo Publico. Although the interaction has since become a talking point online, Ronaldo has not publicly explained why he liked the post.
The video featured Spanish journalist Pilar Rodriguez Losantos questioning Argentina’s route to the final and alleging that FIFA had helped the defending champions remain in the tournament.
“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,” Rodriguez Losantos said in Spanish.
She also claimed Spain would effectively be facing FIFA president Gianni Infantino as much as Argentina in the World Cup final, suggesting the governing body wanted Messi’s team to stay alive in the competition.
Fresh fuel for football’s biggest rivalry
Ronaldo’s apparent endorsement quickly became intertwined with football’s longest-running individual rivalry. Any interaction involving the Portugal captain and criticism of Messi invariably draws attention, particularly after both players bowed out of what is widely expected to be their final FIFA World Cup campaigns.
Portugal were eliminated by Spain in the Round of 16, after which Ronaldo confirmed the tournament had been his last appearance on football’s biggest international stage.
Messi, meanwhile, guided Argentina to a second successive World Cup final before losing 1-0 to Spain after extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute.
Argentina’s campaign had already drawn scrutiny
Questions over Argentina’s journey through the tournament had surfaced well before the final.
Their dramatic 3-2 Round of 16 victory over Egypt generated significant debate after VAR ruled out an Egyptian goal and officials rejected a late penalty appeal before Argentina scored the winner. The decisions prompted criticism from Egyptian players and supporters, fuelling wider discussions around officiating standards during the tournament.
FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, later rejected suggestions of bias and defended the independence of match officials, stressing that controversial decisions alone did not constitute evidence of corruption or manipulation.
Argentina subsequently defeated England 2-1 in the semi-final before falling to Spain in the final.
No comment from Ronaldo
Ronaldo has made no public statement about the Instagram interaction, and there is no indication that he intended it as a formal accusation against FIFA or Argentina.
However, with social media users continuing to circulate screenshots of the apparent ‘like’, the episode has ensured that debate surrounding Argentina’s path to the 2026 World Cup final continues even after the tournament’s conclusion.
