Xplorich
Ryanair has joined the growing social-media frenzy around Rodri’s unlikely journey home, turning the Manchester City midfielder’s viral economy-flight appearance into an opportunity for some football banter. After the Spain international was photographed boarding one of its flights from Madrid to Liverpool, the airline aimed its latest joke at Argentina with a pointed message about who qualifies as a “winner”.
Ryanair gets involved in the Rodri frenzy
The viral moment began when Rodri was spotted waiting to board a Ryanair flight, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses in an apparent attempt to keep a low profile.His personalised suitcase, carrying his name, Spain’s flag and his squad number, quickly gave him away, and photographs of the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner travelling on a budget airline spread across social media.
Ryanair wasted little time joining the conversation.
The airline’s official social-media account tagged the Argentina national team and posted the line: “We only fly winners.”The remark was a deliberately cheeky reference to Rodri’s recent international success with Spain and the rivalry between the two football nations.
The joke was aimed at Argentina’s recent misfortunes
Rodri’s journey had already attracted attention because of the contrast between his status and his choice of transport. The 30-year-old is one of the most decorated midfielders in the game, yet he was photographed standing in an ordinary airport queue rather than travelling privately.Ryanair’s response shifted the story from admiration for Rodri’s low-key approach towards football banter.The post quickly generated significant engagement online, with hundreds of thousands of interactions reported within hours as supporters reacted to the airline’s attempt to turn a viral photograph into a piece of topical marketing.For Rodri, the attention comes after a remarkable summer with Spain. He was part of the World Cup-winning side and received the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, adding another major individual honour to the Ballon d’Or he won in 2024.
