Despite boasting over eight million followers on his Instagram, Alejandro Garnacho doesn’t have Lionel Messi on his followers list for a certain reason.
Lionel Messi stopped following Alejandro Garnacho on Instagram because the Manchester United player likes Cristiano Ronaldo more, according to Rio Ferdinand.
Garnacho has no secret of his admiration of Ronaldo. The 19-year-old relished the time he spent alongside CR7 during the Portuguese’s second spell at Old Trafford between 2021 and 2022. He has openly praised Ronaldo on Instagram, dubbing him the “Greatest of all times” in a post in April 2022.
On Sunday, Garnacho performed Ronaldo’s trademark goal celebration after scoring a mindblowing overhead kick in Manchester United’s 3-0 victory at Everton in the Premier League.
“You know what I like about him? He doesn’t give a f***,” former United defender Ferdinand said on his podcast Vibe with Five.
“Garnacho told me that Messi unfollowed him just because he makes no secret of preferring Ronaldo.
“He comes out, don’t care, ‘I am a Ronaldo man’. Who’s the GOAT? Ronaldo. [Even] when he’s in the Argentina squad.”
On his Instagram, Garnacho shared one post of himself alongside Messi, who he called an ‘idol’, in March 2022.
The Argentina international will likely return to action on Wednesday in the Champions League. United will visit Galatasaray in a high-stakes game, needing a win to move off the bottom of Group A.
Despite their position, Erik ten Hag’s men are only one point off FC Copenhagen, who hold the second and final qualification spot for the last-16.