Manchester United issued a public statement in response to Bruno Fernandes’ social media account being hacked shortly after their loss to Brighton in the FA Cup. Fernandes, the team captain, played the entire match as United suffered a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford. Following the match, Fernandes’ account, with 4.5 million followers, was compromised and posted unusual messages, including a suggestion for him to join Macclesfield FC and negative comments about INEOS, the company co-owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has ties to United.
The hacked account also posted inappropriate content targeting individuals such as female footballer Alisha Lehmann, social media personality KSI, and adult film actress Bonnie Blue. United promptly released a statement confirming the hacking incident and advised supporters not to engage with the unauthorized posts. Despite the statement, the account remained compromised, with the hacker urging followers to be vigilant against further breaches.
Subsequent posts on the hacked account made references to various topics, including challenging individuals to FIFA matches, commenting on the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua fight, and mocking the England cricket team for their performance in the Ashes series. United took action to delete all unauthorized posts on Fernandes’ account, although two reposts remained as of Monday morning.
In addition to the social media incident, Manchester United faced disappointment in the FA Cup exit, marking another early elimination after their Carabao Cup exit earlier in the season. Caretaker manager Darren Fletcher emphasized the importance of learning from the defeat and urged players to demonstrate their commitment to the club’s future. Fletcher’s strong message underscored the team’s determination to bounce back from setbacks and uphold the standards expected at Manchester United.