India TV Fact Check: A set of images of Cristiano Ronaldo and his wife is going viral on social media with claims that the legendary footballer has converted to Islam. However, a fact-check by India TV revealed that these claims are entirely false.
It is pertinent to mention that the footballer joined Al-Nassr FC in the Saudi Pro League in January 2023, signing a contract worth over €200 million annually. Additionally, he serves as a cultural ambassador for Saudi Arabia, promoting Vision 2030 to improve the country's global image through sports and tourism.
What is going viral?
Several images of Ronaldo with his wife in a white dress praying at Mecca have been going viral on social media, with claims that the star footballer has converted to Islam. An X user shared the image and wrote, "Mashallah: The world’s most famous footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, adopted Islam and offered Namaaz with his wife in Haram Sharif...!" Several other users also shared similar pictures on social media platforms.
This is going viral
India TV did investigation
As the claim about the world-famous footballer converting to Islam was circulating widely on various social media platforms, we decided to investigate it. First, we did an open Google search using relevant keywords, however, we did not find any credible news reports supporting such claims.
Then we closely examined the images and noticed several discrepancies, which suggested that they may be fake or AI-generated. For instance, the fingers of Ronaldo look disfigured or abnormal, along with blurred faces in the background. Below is a photo highlighting the same.
Several discrepancies found in viral images
Following this, we ran the combination of photos through True Media, an AI detection tool, which indicated a significant presence of AI-generated or deepfake content.
Screenshots of the results of AI detection tool
What came out in fact check?
A fact-check conducted by India TV has confirmed that the claim being made on social media platforms of the footballer embracing Islam is false. The viral images are AI-generated. People are advised to remain cautious and not believe such misleading claims circulating on social media.
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