The footballing world noticed something rather odd on La Liga’s official Twitter (X) page recently. Fans were shocked as they saw a string of AI (Artificial Intelligence) generated graphics before the El-Clasico clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid, to be held at the Santiago Bernabeu. The official twitter account posted a picture of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘Shirt Held High’ and ‘Calma’ celebrations from the 2017 and 2012 El-Clasico matches, respectively.
7️⃣👋#ELCLÁSICO | #LALIGAEASPORTS | #IA pic.twitter.com/HnbM1RRoVp
— LALIGA (@LaLiga) October 23, 2025
💙🔟❤#ELCLÁSICO | #AI pic.twitter.com/IvIUA4AJ0i
— LALIGA (@LaLiga) October 23, 2025
It may be an understatement to say that fans were not best pleased with what they saw in the build up to this highly anticipated fixture.
Things took a turn from bad to worse when the same official page posted another AI generated graphic featuring Real Madrid duo Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold along with Manchester United loanee, Marcus Rashford, who is currently loving life in Blaugrana colours. The English trio can be visibly seen having ‘tea and biscuits’ in an English cafe, as suggested by the caption “La hora del té. La hora de El Clasico”, which translates to “Tea Time. El Clasico time.”
🍵⚽🇬🇧 La hora del té. La hora de #ELCLÁSICO.
— LALIGA (@LaLiga) October 24, 2025
🤍🤍 @BellinghamJude
🤍🤍 @TrentAA
💙❤ @MarcusRashford#LALIGAEASPORTS | #IA pic.twitter.com/YrDFnR10wY
Many fans were left outraged after the build up to the biggest game in the Spanish First Division was done through some measly AI generated graphics. The comments were filled with fans frustrated about La Liga deciding to use AI graphics instead of paying actual artists to create the visuals and graphics. Outraged by this decision, fans labelled La Liga’s promotional campaign for the El Clasico as “cheap and lazy ways for engagement farming”.
A GROWING TREND ACROSS SPORTS
A similar event occurred when NBC decided to use similar AI generated graphics for their first broadcast of the 2025 NFL Season, in a clash between two giants, The Philadelphia Eagles and The Dallas Cowboys, which left fans fuming.
Likewise, the X account of the official GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association), an Irish sporting organisation which promotes traditional Irish/Gaelic sports Hurling, Gaelic Football and Camogie, posted some similar AI generated visuals for the promotion of their upcoming Hurling matches in the Leinster Hurling Championship, which drew widespread backlash from the local fans.
Should major sporting companies use AI generated visuals for the promotion of their events/matches? Let us know in the comments below.
