When footballers and cricketers messed up on social media
Social media has brought professional athletes and supporters closer than ever. The mere fact that fans can speak to superstars on Twitter and Facebook is something that few would have seen coming, a decade or so ago.Whether it is posting photos of their favourite moments, or making their voice heard on cricketing issues around the world, social media has done a lot to bridge the gap between the lifeblood of the sport (supporters) and its superstars (players).But what they have to say isn’t always insightful and sometimes puts them in a spot of bother.Here are five occasions when footballers and cricketers messed up on social media.
#5 Jan Vertonghen
Sometimes something innocuous is what leads you into big trouble. While context is always the most important thing, when interpreting or analysing something someone said, it is difficult to get that when you post something on Twitter.
So before Tottenham fans come in crying or Arsenal supporters come in laughing about the tweet, let me provide you with a little bit of context, to the tweet that Jan Vertonghen posted in the summer of 2012.
Firstly, he wasn’t referring to Spurs. In fact, it wasn’t even about football. The Belgian defender was talking about how bad the national side’s bowling (sport) is during a team outing. However, ever time Spurs lose, rival fans enjoy retweeting it and having fun.
Little update: We are s***!!!
— Jan Vertonghen (@JanVertonghen) May 22, 2012