12 memes that shook the internet after Elon Musk announced his plans to buy Manchester United
On 17 August 2022, the world’s richest man and serial tweeter Elon Musk took to the platform he has a love-hate relationship with to drop yet another bombshell: claiming that he’s purchasing the biggest football club in England.
“I’m buying Manchester United ur welcome,” the Tesla CEO nonchalantly tweeted without providing any details. With over 500,000 likes and counting, his claim immediately sparked a debate about the struggling Premier League club’s future. Although Manchester United is one of the most famous names in world football, it’s currently in crisis amid angry calls from fans for the club’s current owners, the American Glazer family, to pull out.
“Please Elon Musk, you’re doing almost a billion fans worldwide a favour,” a user replied to the business magnate’s viral claims. “Well, if anyone knows about car wrecks, it’s certainly Elon Musk!” a second wrote, while others tagged the football club’s official Twitter account—urging them to “consider the kind offer.”
Well, if there’s one thing we’ve all learned from Musk’s tweeting habits, it’s the fact that he often posts cheeky-but-borderline-believable acquisition claims hinged off his social standing as a billionaire—making it difficult to tell if he’s joking or not in the first place.
On 28 April, three days after the Twitter board accepted his unsolicited offer to buy the company, Musk took to the platform and tweeted: “Next I’m buying Coca-Cola to put the cocaine back in.” Four years ago, the space billionaire’s wordy obsession also landed him in hot water with US regulators when he tweeted that there was “funding secured” for a $72 billion deal to take Tesla private, but did not move ahead with an offer.
Ultimately, Musk and Tesla paid $20 million civil fines each as the former stepped down as Tesla’s chairman to resolve US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) claims that he “defrauded investors.”
In Manchester United’s case, Musk did the inevitable and pulled a 360 on his claims after five hours by stating: “No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I’m not buying any sports teams.” In his defence, he also added: “Although, if it were any team, it would be Man U. They were my fav team as a kid.”
Although, if it were any team, it would be Man U. They were my fav team as a kid.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 17, 2022
While some users were enraged by the discourse and asked Musk to “formally apologise” to Manchester United fans for “getting their hopes up,” others dug up old meme templates to express their opinions. Here are 12 of the best internet reactions to the piece of news to date:
1. Hate to break it to you but…
Glazers: Manchester United is not for sale
— 🔥JET7🇵🇹🏴🇨🇦🔥 (@ONEUTD7) August 17, 2022
Elon Musk: pic.twitter.com/3GyeiNknDd
2. Neuralink pulling thru
Manchester United player's after Elon musk put chips in their brains https://t.co/tmZO95mjEe
— Xirociroc (@canelo____) August 17, 2022
3. Wait till he gets his paycheck in Dogecoins
Cristiano Ronaldo announcing his new salary when Elon Musk buys Manchester United pic.twitter.com/WJIHGttA7k
— GarnachoFan17 (@ManUtdGarnacho) August 17, 2022
4. Two sides to the debate
Manchester United if Elon Musk buys us : pic.twitter.com/p3TgMejJB7
— Pulkit (@LautAaoSirAlex) August 17, 2022
5. One can only hope
6. “Man U’s next board meeting is gonna be lit”
7. Legend says Musk will reconsider if you retweet this 500 times
When Elon musk buys Manchester united and sends Mctominay and Maguire to Mars 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/XMJhTkqhHJ
— Jake (@SanchoEra3) August 17, 2022
8. Well, Teslas don’t detect cardboard McDonald’s
Luke Shaw when his Tesla won’t stop at McDonald’s pic.twitter.com/89Uy5qMuo0 https://t.co/m4LwJTTt4R
— Josh (@JoshPropahChels) August 17, 2022
9. *heavy sighing*
10. Ah yes, the bleeding edge of innovation
new manchester united training facility when elon musk buys them pic.twitter.com/kPmKsk7JAb
— Hemank (@Hemank_fpl) August 17, 2022
11. Top 10 stressful jobs in the world
12. Did someone say ‘family’?
Manchester United Is not a sports team bro... It's family pic.twitter.com/bOOb1dgbmu
— Redinho🐐 (@BecksMUFC_7) August 17, 2022
