Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes suffered a double blow on Sunday, first with an FA Cup defeat and then by having his social media account compromised. The Portuguese midfielder's official profile on X, formerly Twitter, was hacked just hours after United's 2-1 loss to Brighton at Old Trafford.
Bizarre Posts Target INEOS and Figures
The hacker took control of Fernandes's account, which has 4.5 million followers, and published a series of strange and explicit messages. One early post encouraged followers to "Join Macclesfield FC", referencing the sixth-tier side's famous cup win over Crystal Palace the day before.
Another contentious post stated, "Let's get rid of INEOS", directly targeting the company led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe which holds a significant stake in Manchester United. This came on the same day that some United fans had protested against Ratcliffe's ownership during and after the match.
The account also shared X-rated and derogatory content aimed at Aston Villa footballer Alisha Lehmann, YouTube star KSI, and actress Bonnie Blue. Other posts challenged darts player Luke Littler to a FIFA match and commented on Jake Paul's boxing victory over Anthony Joshua.
Club Statement and Hacker's Taunts
Manchester United officials were forced to intervene, releasing an official statement on the club's X account shortly after 11:30pm on Sunday. "Bruno Fernandes's X account has been hacked," the club confirmed. "Supporters should not engage with any of the posts or direct messages."
Remarkably, the hacker responded to the club's statement from Fernandes's compromised account, writing, "Make sure you guys stay alert for any hacks," and adding, "f*** no way, i'll spread the word." The breach also included a jibe at the England cricket team following their Ashes defeat to Australia.
While all the original posts have now been deleted, two reposts remained visible as of 6am on Monday morning, indicating the account's recovery was not fully complete.
A Season Unravelling for United
The social media incident compounded a miserable day for Fernandes and Manchester United, whose hopes of silverware this season were virtually extinguished. The 2-1 defeat to Brighton marked another early cup exit, following a similar first-round loss in the Carabao Cup earlier in the campaign.
This result means United will play only 40 games this season, their fewest tally since the 1914-15 campaign was interrupted by the First World War. Caretaker manager Darren Fletcher issued a stern warning to his players in the aftermath, challenging them to prove their commitment to the club's future.
"They have to dig in, show they want to be part of Manchester United's future, learn from this," Fletcher stated. "And ultimately, if you're not, then I don't think you should be here or will be here. Sounds strong, but that's just the reality and the way it should be."
