A viral social media claim by fans has dragged Cristiano Ronaldo into another World Cup controversy, with users alleging that Portugal's captain "liked" an Instagram post claiming FIFA favoured Argentina during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The claim, which has been widely shared across X, Instagram and Facebook, is based on a screenshot purportedly showing Ronaldo's verified Instagram account liking a post that questioned Argentina's run to the World Cup final.
However, a closer look suggests the viral claim is misleading and not true.
What Does The Viral Post Claim?
The screenshot circulating online appears to show Ronaldo's verified account among the users who liked an Instagram post alleging that FIFA helped Argentina during the tournament.
The post also refers to the contriversial referring decsions and suggests that the Argentina team received favourable treatment to their route to the final. Many users interpreted the alleged "like" as Ronaldo endorsing those claims.
The screenshot quickly gained traction on social media, prompting debate among football fans.
Fact Check: Is The Claim True?
According to NDTV's fact check, there is no credible evidence that Ronaldo liked the post.​
A review of the original Instagram post found no indication that Ronaldo's verified account had liked it.
Since Instagram displays likes dynamically, users can only see a limited number of accounts unless they scroll through the complete list. Multiple checks did not show Ronaldo's account among those who had liked the post.
More importantly, there has been no statement from Ronaldo or his representatives suggesting he interacted with the post.
The viral screenshot itself also shows signs of manipulation and cannot be independently verified.
No Official Confirmation
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Neither Ronaldo nor his team has commented on the viral claim yet. Likewise, no credible media organisation has independently confirmed that the Portuguese star liked the Instagram post and without any verifiable evidence, the claim remains unsubstantiated.
Portugal's campaign ended in the Round of 16 with a defeat to Spain, leading many fans to believe that the 2026 FIFA World Cup was likely the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar's final appearance on football's biggest stage, alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar.
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