The Ivorian was caught on camera raising his middle finger towards a section of fans in Kuala Lumpur
Amad Diallo has addressed the controversy surrounding his gesture toward a group of Manchester United supporters following the team’s shock 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars in Malaysia last week, saying he “shouldn’t have reacted like that” but does “not regret” standing up to abuse directed at his mother.
The incident occurred shortly after United’s players left the field in Kuala Lumpur, where they were met with a chorus of boos from the 72,000-strong crowd. United had failed to score against a side composed of players from across Southeast Asia who had only played together once before in 2014, underlining what has been a frustrating period for the English club.
As players made their way to the team bus, a visibly agitated Amad was caught on camera raising his middle finger toward a section of fans. The footage quickly went viral, prompting a wave of online backlash.
Now, the 22-year-old winger has offered his explanation.
“I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom,” Amad wrote on social media. “I shouldn’t have reacted like that but I don’t regret what I did. We had a great time in Malaysia with good people.”
While much of Manchester United’s 2024–25 campaign was nothing but disappointment, Amad has been one of the few consistent performers. The Ivorian scored 11 goals and delivered 10 assists in all competitions and looked at times like United’s most creative attacking outlet under Amorim.
Amorim, who is preparing for his first full season at the club, is expected to feature the forward as one of the mainstays in his team, with captain Bruno Fernandes also identified by the coach as “very important for us”.
