Fake image of Starmer in Croatia jersey spreads during World Cup
- Published on June 30, 2026 at 19:31
- 2 min read
- By AFP USA
England's men's national team faced Croatia in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with star striker Harry Kane scoring twice in a 4-2 victory over the Vatreni. But an image depicting the United Kingdom's then-prime minister Keir Starmer wearing a Croatia football jersey at a pub is altered; in the original -- taken during Euro 2024 -- he was sporting a plain white T-shirt.
"STARMER & Co all ready for the England vs Croatia football game tonight," says the caption of a June 17, 2026 Facebook post, which shows the Labour leader in a red-and-white checkered Croatia kit with three others, including MP Angela Rayner.
The image also appeared elsewhere on Facebook, TikTok and X as The Three Lions kicked off their June 17 World Cup opener.
Starmer swept to power with a landslide victory in 2024, but two years later -- on June 22, just days after the image started circulating -- he stood down as the country's most unpopular prime minister in decades, despite being well-regarded internationally.
Before the tournament, during England's June 12 friendly against Costa Rica, fans were heard singing a crude chant about Starmer to the tune of "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes. British newspaper The Times reported that FIFA told England fans they risked ejection from World Cup venues if they continued with the offensive cheer.
A lifelong fan of Arsenal Football Club, Starmer was accused of breaking with tradition by not flying the St George's Cross flag of England outside Downing Street for the side's group games.
He also caught flak from fans for refusing to say if a bank holiday would be declared should England prevail in the tournament.
But the image portraying him in a Croatia jersey is not real.
A reverse image search surfaced the original photo in a June 2025 article from The Telegraph discussing Starmer being out of favor with England football fans (archived here). The unedited version of the image shows him in a plain white T-shirt, and the others in England kits.
The Telegraph credited the picture to the Facebook account of then-deputy prime minister Rayner, who posted it June 16, 2024 with the caption: "Celebrating a vital win with the gaffer" (archived here).
The Mirror also published Rayner's picture in June 2024, saying the politicians were joined by comedians Jon Richardson and Matt Forde to watch England's first Euro 2024 match.
Read more of AFP's reporting on misinformation surrounding the World Cup here.
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