FC Barcelona found themselves at the heart of Pakistani politics after their recent tweet featuring tiger emojis triggered a wave of humor and political banter. Little did they know, their innocent celebration for the debut goal of new striker Vitor Roque would inadvertently become a symbol for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) election campaign.
The Catalan club, renowned for its global fanbase, had shared a series of tiger emojis on Twitter to commemorate the achievement of their latest signing, 18-year-old Brazilian striker Vitor Roque, affectionately known as “Tigrinho” or the ‘Little Tiger.’
Roque had made headlines by scoring his debut goal in a crucial 1-0 La Liga win against Osasuna at Camp Nou, providing a glimmer of hope for the struggling Barcelona team.
The confusion ensued when a few PML-N supporters playfully interpreted the tiger emojis as a covert endorsement for Nawaz Sharif and his political party. Social media platforms buzzed with memes and witty comments, turning the innocent post into a source of amusement for users across the country.
NAWAZ IS COMING! 🇵🇰🐅 https://t.co/550kJf8znq
— PMLN (@pmln_org) January 31, 2024
Despite the mix-up, FC Barcelona’s tiger emojis inadvertently became the unofficial mascot for PML-N’s election hype. The party’s social media team promptly capitalized on the situation by retweeting the post with the caption, “NAWAZ IS COMING! 🇵🇰🐅,” further fueling the laughter riot.
This unforeseen blend of football fandom and political jest unfolded against the backdrop of Barcelona’s anticipation for Roque’s arrival, with teasers of a tiger on the field circulating prior to the announcement.
