Garnacho Sparks Controversy Wearing Al-Ittihad Jeddah Kit; Fans Question: Why Not Ronaldo’s Riyadh Victory Shirt?

Recently, Garnacho sparked heated debate on social media once again, this time due to a post featuring him on vacation in the kit of Saudi club Al-Ittihad Jeddah, which is a fierce rival of Riyadh Victory, the team his idol Cristiano Ronaldo plays for.

The 20-year-old Garnacho helped Argentina successfully defend their Copa America title earlier this month. Although he only made one appearance, it didn’t prevent him from being granted special permission to join up with the squad later than his other Manchester United teammates. Garnacho is currently on vacation with fellow Manchester United teammate Pellistri, who also participated in the Copa America. However, it was a photo he posted of himself alongside Pellistri that caused controversy – in the picture, Garnacho, wearing an Al-Ittihad Jeddah shirt, looked happy and seemed to have just finished training with Pellistri, captioning the post “job done.”

Given that Garnacho has openly expressed his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years and often mimicked Ronaldo’s signature goal celebration while playing for Manchester United’s youth teams, some fans were surprised by his actions. One user commented online: “I thought Garnacho’s team in Saudi Arabia was Riyadh Victory.” Another fan chimed in: “To be honest, seeing Garnacho in an Al-Ittihad Jeddah shirt feels a bit strange.” Some fans directly questioned: “His idol plays for Riyadh Victory, why is he wearing an Al-Ittihad Jeddah shirt?”

In reality, Garnacho has already drawn attention due to personal “loyalty” issues in a short period. Previously, he uploaded a photo with Messi to social media to dispel doubts about not respecting Messi after being questioned by netizens, but he still found himself caught up in public controversy.