In a troubling postscript to an already disappointing FA Cup exit for Manchester United, the club was forced to address a significant digital security breach involving its captain, Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese midfielder’s official and verified account on the social media platform X, followed by over 4.5 million users, was compromised late on Sunday evening, unleashing a stream of bizarre and inflammatory posts before being brought under control.
The incident began shortly after 11 p.m. GMT, just hours after United’s 2–1 defeat to Brighton ended their FA Cup campaign. The account, which Fernandes rarely uses and had last updated in October, suddenly sprang to life. The initial flurry of messages appeared to promote cryptocurrency ventures, with one post asking followers for help “making a coin”.
The tone quickly escalated, turning directly to mock the club’s on-field struggles. “Man Utd are in the dumps,” read one post, while another bluntly stated, “This is why I need to get paid more”.
Perhaps the most provocative unauthorized message took direct aim at the club’s ownership, stating, “Let’s get rid of INEOS”. The hacker then began tagging a seemingly random assortment of high-profile accounts, including YouTuber KSI, world darts champion Luke Littler, the England cricket team, and adult film star Bonnie Blue.
In a final act of taunting, the compromised account posted an image memorializing Liverpool’s infamous 7-0 victory over United from March 2023, rubbing salt into the fresh wounds of the day’s defeat.
Manchester United moved swiftly to contain the situation and manage the fallout. The club issued an official statement on its own X account to confirm the breach and warn supporters. “Bruno Fernandes’s X account has been hacked,” the statement read. “Supporters should not engage with any of the posts or direct messages”.
Despite this warning, the individual behind the hack continued to post replies, even mocking the unfolding situation with comments like, “Aren’t you having fun?”. Club officials worked through the night to regain control, and the rogue posts were eventually deleted.
The hacking of Fernandes’s account underscores a growing vulnerability for elite athletes in the digital age, placing them at the center of online chaos beyond their control. This incident follows a similar breach targeting Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé in 2024.
For Bruno Fernandes and Manchester United, the episode adds an unwelcome layer of off-pitch distraction to a season already marked by inconsistency and transition, serving as a stark reminder of the security risks that accompany massive online platforms.