Ronaldo's wife posts then deletes fake Sir Alex Ferguson quote in Portugal row

Georgina Rodriguez, the wife of Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo, briefly posted a fake Sir Alex Ferguson quote on Instagram, seemingly taking aim at Portugal manager Jorge Jesus [1, 2]. The post, which was swiftly deleted, featured a fictitious quote attributed to Ronaldo's former Manchester United boss, alongside Rodriguez's own comment questioning how Jesus "can carry the name of Christ" ^[1].

The deleted quote read: "If Jorge Jesus knew in his heart that he had no intention of using him, then why did he call him up in the first place? To make a point? That’s not authority, that’s insecurity" [1, 2]. Sir Alex Ferguson has not commented on the current dispute, and the imagery accompanying the quote appeared to be AI-generated ^[1].

Rodriguez, who shares five children with Ronaldo, quickly removed the post from her Instagram story, which has 78 million followers [1, 2]. This incident follows Ronaldo's decision to leave the national team camp after being benched for Portugal's 2-1 victory over Norway [1, 2]. This marked the first time in 18 years he had missed a full 90 minutes for his country, excluding injuries or suspensions ^[1].

Ronaldo later confirmed his departure in an Instagram statement, citing comments made by Jesus in a press conference and a subsequent conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation ^[1]. He promised to reveal the full truth about his exit "in due time".

Jesus, who also managed Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, maintains his conscience is clear and insists the team's focus remains on their objectives ^[1]. Meanwhile, Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes has spoken to Ronaldo, urging the country not to be divided over the issue [1, 2]. Fernandes emphasised that Ronaldo remains a "greatest symbol" of the national team and that all parties should resolve their issues privately.

Ronaldo's future with the national team is currently uncertain ^[1]. He reportedly flew to Madrid after leaving the camp in Copenhagen and is said to be planning a return to Saudi Arabia to focus on club football [1, 2]. Jesus has made it clear that Goncalo Ramos is his preferred striker, suggesting Ronaldo would need to accept a secondary role ^[2]. The story was first reported by Daily Mail and Mirror.