Revealed: Why Lionel Messi unfollowed Man Utd winger Alejandro Garnacho on Instagram – with Cristiano Ronaldo playing a part in that decision

The former Red Devils defender claims to have been told by the teenage forward that Argentina international team-mate Messi is no longer a fan of his on social media. That is because Garnacho, who briefly worked alongside Ronaldo at Old Trafford, has made no secret of the fact that he is a big admirer of CR7.

Ferdinand has told his Vibe with Five YouTube channel of Garnacho – who even wears Ronaldo-inspired Nike Vapor 15 Mercurial Dream Speed boots: “You know what I like about him? He doesn't give a f*ck. Garnacho told me that Messi unfollowed him just because he makes no secret of preferring Ronaldo. He comes out, don't care, ‘I'm a Ronaldo man’. Who's the GOAT? Ronaldo. (Even) when he's in the Argentina squad.”

Fans spotted back in April 2022 that Messi had unfollowed Garnacho, with the youngster posting a picture of Ronaldo at the time alongside a message calling the Portuguese icon the greatest of all-time. Garnacho has previously referred to Messi as an “idol”, but the World Cup winner has still not followed him back despite the pair now being colleagues in the senior Argentina squad.

Messi will have been able to admire Garnacho’s latest goal for United, which saw him register a stunning overhead kick against Everton. Ferdinand said when asked whether that effort was better than the legendary bicycle kick that Wayne Rooney scored in a derby date with City back in 2011: “Garnacho. One was off a shin pad, the other was off his boot. I'm sorry, Wazza. I was in my house in the front room with my family and we went ballistic. It was nuts. Even my little boy, his tooth had just fell out, he fell and his tooth just got knocked out, he was trying to do overhead kicks in the living room like probably millions of little kids around the world at the time. That goal is better than Rooney's. He was running away from the goal, a bit further away from the goal, at an angle. It was unbelievable, breathtaking moment.”

United will be back in action on Wednesday when facing Galatasaray in the Champions League, with Garnacho in line to figure prominently for the Red Devils once again despite head coach Erik ten Hag admitting that overhead kicks are not good for the youngster’s back.