Contrary to information circulating on social media, Cristiano Ronaldo did not refuse UEFA’s order to not wear an armband with the LGBT flag at Euro 2020.

Although Euro 2020 has been held for 4 years, there is still some information circulating on social media that Cristiano Ronaldo – captain of the Portuguese team, refused to wear an armband with the LGBT flag as requested by UEFA. However, the truth about this incident is completely opposite to the rumor.

The information originated from a Chinese-language Facebook post on June 18, 2020, which was then widely circulated in many different languages, including English and Spanish, and shared in many countries such as India and Pakistan until now.

The post claims that UEFA has required all captains to wear the “OneLove” armband – a symbol of the LGBT community, but Ronaldo is the only captain who refuses to do so.
1-1721962347.jpgRonaldo was accused of “refusing to wear the LGBT armband” and more seriously, of “homophobia”. Photo: Getty.
The “OneLove” armband is actually an initiative launched by the Dutch Football Association in 2020. The aim of the initiative is to promote diversity, inclusion and human rights in football, while fighting discrimination and advocating equality for all. The armband features a heart and the rainbow colours of the LGBT flag.

During Euro 2020, several captains, including Manuel Neuer (Germany), Gini Wijnaldum (Netherlands) and Harry Kane (England), wore rainbow armbands to show their support for the movement. However, it is important to note that wearing such armbands is not mandatory under UEFA regulations.

According to a UEFA spokesperson, there is no obligation for captains to wear a particular armband. Captains have the option of wearing the RESPECT armband or requesting a different armband for one or more matches. UEFA’s dress code only states that captains may wear the armband for certain matches to support UEFA campaigns, but there is no mandatory requirement.

3-1721963067.jpgGini Wijnaldum, Harry Kane and Manuel Neuer wear rainbow-coloured armbands. Photo: Getty.
The armband with the word “Respect” that Ronaldo wore during Euro 2020 is part of a campaign launched by UEFA since Euro 2008. The campaign aims to promote respect, tolerance and sportsmanship in football. It also fights against racism, discrimination and promotes social responsibility.

In recent years, the scope of the campaign has expanded to include issues such as discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation.

Not only Ronaldo, many other captains also wore the “Respect” armband at Euro 2020, including Giorgio Chiellini (Italy), Simon Kjaer (Denmark), David Alaba (Austria), Eden Hazard (Belgium), Luka Modric (Croatia) and Robert Lewandowski (Poland).

This trend continues at Euro 2024 with captains such as Kylian Mbappe (France), Nicolae Stanciu (Romania), Alvaro Morata (Spain), Ilkay Gundogan (Germany) and Harry Kane (England) also wearing the armband.
2-1721963067.jpgMany national team captains chose to wear the RESPECT armband at Euro 2020. Photo: Getty.
The incident involving Cristiano Ronaldo and the rainbow armband at Euro 2020 is a prime example of how misinformation can spread quickly in the digital age. In fact, Ronaldo did not refuse or resist any orders from UEFA. In fact, UEFA does not have any mandatory regulations on wearing rainbow armbands.

Instead, he and many other captains have complied with the current regulations by wearing the “Respect” armband – a symbol of UEFA’s long-running campaign to promote respect and combat discrimination in football.

This incident highlights the importance of verifying information before sharing it or drawing conclusions. In an age where information can spread rapidly across borders and language barriers, it is the responsibility of every individual to ensure the accuracy of the information they consume and share. This applies not only to sports but to all areas of social life.