Thiago Mendes apologizes for controversial post against Boca Juniors

Vasco da Gama captain Thiago Mendes has issued an apology following a controversial social media post directed at Boca Juniors. After Vasco da Gama secured a 1-0 victory at La Bombonera, Mendes shared an AI-generated image on his Instagram story depicting himself in a Vasco da Gama jersey splitting a large Boca Juniors shield in two.

The post drew significant criticism from Argentine fans, particularly as the competitive series remains undecided. In response to the backlash, Mendes deleted the story and released a statement clarifying that the post was unintentional. He explained that he was reposting various tags from supporters during the adrenaline of the match and did not scrutinize the specific details of the images. Mendes stated, “At no time did I have the intention of disrespecting [Boca Juniors], their history, or their fans. I apologize to anyone who may feel offended.”