Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes became the latest high-profile football figure to fall victim to a social media hack after his X account was compromised on Sunday night.
The account, which boasts more than 4.5 million followers, suddenly sprang into life shortly after 11pm GMT, despite Fernandes rarely using the platform. His previous post before the incident dated back to October, when he marked his 300th appearance for Manchester United.
A series of now-deleted posts began circulating, many of them linked to cryptocurrency promotion, before messages appeared suggesting dissatisfaction with the club’s situation. One post read,
“Man Utd are in the dumps [at the moment],” while another bluntly stated, “Let’s get rid of INEOS,” a reference to the club’s minority owners INEOS.
The timing of the hack only added fuel to the fire, coming just hours after United’s FA Cup third-round defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford. Further posts tagged a mix of unrelated public figures, including adult entertainer Bonnie Blue, the England cricket team, YouTuber KSI and darts world champion Luke Littler, underlining the chaotic nature of the breach.
In one of the final messages before the account activity was halted, an image was posted referencing United’s infamous 7-0 defeat to Liverpool in 2023, a result that still rankles with supporters.
Manchester United later confirmed the hack in an official statement, urging fans to ignore all content posted from Fernandes’ account during the incident and warning against engaging with any direct messages.
The episode is not an isolated case in elite football. In 2024, Kylian Mbappe saw his account hacked, with posts referencing his former club Real Madrid and fellow superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
For Fernandes, the incident comes at a turbulent moment both personally and for the club he captains. For Manchester United, it was another unwanted distraction in a season already marked by poor results, early cup exits and growing unrest among supporters.
