Ronaldo Palestinian scarf photo: what's behind the viral image

A photograph showing Cristiano Ronaldo holding a Palestinian scarf has drawn attention across social media, with users debating whether the Portuguese football star supports the Palestinian cause. The image, which shows Ronaldo standing beside former Palestinian women's footballer Honey Thaljieh while holding the scarf, was actually taken 17 years ago.

The story behind the photograph

Thaljieh, one of the founders of the Palestinian women's national football team, recently reposted the image. The two met in 2009 at a FIFA event, where she presented Ronaldo with a Palestinian scarf and the pair posed for the photograph together.

In her post, Thaljieh recalled the encounter, describing it as a special moment for her that remained with her through the years.

Does Ronaldo support the Palestinians?

Following the photograph's circulation, some users interpreted it as evidence that Ronaldo backs the Palestinian side. In reality, the image shows him posing with a gift he received, not making any political declaration.

This is not the first time Ronaldo has been linked to the issue. Over the years, images and videos purporting to show him supporting Palestinians have circulated online, though some were later revealed to be fabricated or taken out of context.

As for Israel: Ronaldo has also met with former Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz, posed for photographs with him, and even presented him with a signed jersey.

For now, the old photograph continues to draw reactions, but as it stands, there is nothing in it to prove that Ronaldo has expressed political support for the Palestinians.