Alejandro Garnacho’s admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United is on full display in his custom home gym, which features murals of Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and himself.
The 20-year-old winger has never hidden his love for Ronaldo, whom he briefly shared a dressing room with at Old Trafford.
After scoring his stunning overhead kick against Everton in 2023, Garnacho paid tribute to his idol by celebrating with Ronaldo’s trademark ‘Siuuu’.
Even his boots for that goal were Ronaldo-inspired Nike Mercurial Dream Speed Vapor 15s.
Messi Mural Sparks Debate Among Fans
However, fans were quick to react when images surfaced of Garnacho working out beside a massive mural of Messi.
One fan on social media quipped: “Alejandro Garnacho’s home gym is the definition of STANDING ON THE FENCE.”
Another added: “He plays like Ronaldo, wants to be like Ronaldo, but Messi is the king of his homeland.”
Others dismissed the debate, insisting Garnacho’s preference was clear. One fan fired back: “He’s a Ronaldo fan—there’s no fence-sitting here.”
Another confidently stated: “We all know who he prefers.” Some users mocked the setup, with one writing: “Blud thinks plastering pictures of Ronaldo and Messi will suddenly make him a good player.
Garnacho’s Wall of Sporting Legends
Beyond football, Garnacho has also paid homage to other sporting icons in his gym. His walls feature: Michael Jordan in his prime with the Chicago Bulls. The iconic image of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston after his 1965 knockout victory.
The gym is not just for show either—Garnacho has invested in a barbell, weights, a bench, and a multi-purpose exercise frame to enhance his training.
Messi Unfollowing Controversy
Garnacho’s connection to Messi has long been a topic of discussion, especially after Rio Ferdinand claimed in 2023 that the Argentina legend had unfollowed Garnacho on Instagram due to his open admiration for Ronaldo.
Speaking on his Vibe with Five podcast, Ferdinand revealed: “Garnacho told me Messi unfollowed him because he openly prefers Ronaldo. He doesn’t care—he’ll say Ronaldo is the GOAT even while in the Argentina squad.”
Fans speculated in April 2022 that Messi had unfollowed Garnacho after the youngster posted a picture of Ronaldo with the caption “GOAT”.
This came just weeks after he had uploaded a picture with Messi, calling him an “idol”. To this day, Messi does not follow Garnacho on Instagram, although Garnacho still follows him.
However, Garnacho’s brother, Roberto, shut down the rumors, taking to social media to defend him: “Fake. Messi never followed him. Stop making things up just to create hate. Garna loves and admires both of them.”
Ferdinand later backtracked on his claim, replying to Roberto: “Was sarcasm, bro…”
Regardless of the debate, Garnacho’s gym walls tell the story of a young star inspired by some of the greatest athletes in history—from football legends Ronaldo and Messi to sporting icons Jordan and Ali.
