“England midfielder Jude Bellingham stated that 'Messi is my idol' and 'FIFA is rigged and corrupt' following a match.”

Following the 2026 World Cup, several viral social media posts falsely attributed quotes to Jude Bellingham, including claims that he called Lionel Messi his 'idol' and described FIFA as 'rigged and corrupt.' Investigations by major news outlets, including Euronews and the BBC, have confirmed that these statements are entirely fabricated. Recordings of Bellingham's post-match interviews show that he never made these remarks. The claims appear to be part of a broader trend of misinformation and AI-generated content surrounding the tournament. While Bellingham and Messi were involved in an on-field interaction during the match, reports indicate that the exchange was related to a foul and was not the source of the viral, fabricated quotes.