Nowadays, it is common practice for footballers to say goodbye to their former clubs with a heartfelt post on social media: a small thank you to the fans, some warm words about the club and a nod to the future.
But when Fábio Silva left Wolves for Borussia Dortmund and Christantus Uche left Getafe to join Crystal Palace, their farewell notes seemed all too familiar.
Silva’s Instagram post on August 29 began: “When I came to Wolves, I did so full of ambition, dreams and the desire to make my mark. I know I didn’t live up to expectations. But football and life are more than numbers or moments on the pitch.”
Uche’s post, just five days later?
“When I arrived at Getafe I did so full of ambition, dreams and the desire to leave my mark. I know that I did not live up to expectations. But football and life are more than numbers or moments on the field.”
From then on, the writing was identical until the last lines. Silva signed off saying: “I will always be a fan of this club. Thank you, Wolves. With all my heart”, while Uche simply made a change to Getafe.
Naturally, fans and journalists alike were quick to put two and two together, suggesting that the messages were produced by the same AI template rather than being written by the players themselves.
Whether it’s convenience or copy-pasting, one thing’s for sure: when everyone’s goodbye looks the same, the feeling hits a little less.
