75
Olivia Rodrigo’s Instagram comments have once again become an unlikely meeting point for football fans. This time, the messages are far more celebratory than hostile. After FC Barcelona signed Spanish midfielder Rodri from Manchester City, Barça supporters have been turning up in the comments of Olivia’s Instagram posts to congratulate her on the midfielder’s arrival. Comments welcoming “Rodri” to Barcelona and messages along the lines of “Welcome to Barça, Rodrigo” have appeared under her posts. This has left fans amused by one of football’s strangest recurring social-media jokes.
The obvious question is: why Olivia Rodrigo? The answer lies partly in a name and partly in Barcelona’s increasing connection with the pop star.
From Rodri to Rodrigo
Rodri’s full name is Rodrigo Hernández Cascante. Olivia Rodrigo, on the other hand, has become a big name in contemporary pop. Interestingly, the footballer does not maintain an active Instagram presence, and this has previously left fans with nowhere to direct their reactions. That has made Olivia’s account an accidental destination.
The joke first became known in 2024, when Rodri won the Ballon d’Or ahead of Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior. With irked Madrid supporters unable to find an active social media handle belonging to the midfielder, some ended up directing their frustration at Olivia Rodrigo instead. Reports at the time noted that the singer had nothing to do with the Ballon d’Or result or the players involved.
Now, two years later, the joke has returned, but with a completely different tone.
Rather than complaining about Rodri, Barcelona fans are using Olivia’s comment section to welcome him to their club. The timing has made the whole situation even more amusing, as Olivia Rodrigo is not exactly a random celebrity when it comes to Barça.
Olivia Rodrigo actually has a Barça connection
Olivia developed a direct connection with Barcelona earlier this year through a major collaboration between the club and Spotify. In May, Barcelona announced that the singer’s logo would appear on the club’s shirt for El Clásico against Real Madrid. She became the youngest artist to feature on the Barça shirt as part of Spotify’s series of artist takeovers. Her name appeared after Drake, Rosalía, Karol G, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Travis Scott.
The collaboration went beyond simply putting her initials on a jersey. Olivia travelled to Barcelona for a special concert for her fans, and the club also released a Barça x Olivia Rodrigo collection. She was involved in the build-up to the Clásico and embraced the crossover between her music and the football club.
Barcelona even highlighted her enthusiasm for the occasion. In a statement published by the club, Olivia Rodrigo said that she was excited to see her initials on a Barcelona jersey. The actor further described performing for her fans in the city as something special.
So when Barça supporters now land in her Instagram comments to celebrate the arrival of another Rodrigo, the joke has an unusually appropriate setting.
And then there is Rodri
For Barcelona, the reason behind the social-media chaos is far more important than a surname. Rodri has completed a major move from Manchester City to Barcelona on a contract running until June 2030. Reuters reported that the transfer was worth a reported £65.4 million ($88.56 million). Other reports put the agreement at €60 million plus add-ons.
The 30-year-old midfielder leaves Manchester City after seven hugely successful seasons. He made 298 appearances for the club and won four Premier League titles and the Champions League. He also scored the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final against Inter Milan.
One Instagram account, two Rodrigos
That has left Olivia Rodrigo’s Instagram in an unusual position once again. She is not related to the footballer, has no role in his transfer and, apparently, has nothing to do with the flood of congratulatory messages. Yet her surname, Rodri’s lack of social media and her existing relationship with Barcelona have combined to make her account the perfect destination for the joke.
