Footballer Jorginho ends ‘misunderstanding’ with pop singer Chappell Roan
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Jorginho's (right) stepdaughter was reduced to tears by a security guard after she walked past Chappell Roan's table during breakfast in a hotel.
PHOTOS: REUTERS
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Italian footballer Jorginho clarified on April 13 that American singer Chappell Roan was not involved in an incident in Brazil when a security guard left his stepdaughter in tears.
At the time, the security guard was thought by Jorginho to have been part of Roan’s team and acting on her behalf.
In an update posted on his Instagram Stories on April 13, Jorginho said his team had spoken directly with Roan’s, while the pop singer had also reached out privately to his wife.
He wrote: “It became clear that she had no knowledge of what took place at breakfast and had not asked anyone to approach them. She was understanding and sympathetic to what had happened to our child.
“I also want to make clear that the situation did occur as it was originally described. At the time, we acted on the information that was available to us.”
He added that the security guard had confirmed publicly that he was representing another artiste at the hotel at the time and that it is “now clear that he was not acting on behalf of Chappell”.
The incident took place when Jorginho’s wife and stepdaughter were in Sao Paolo for the Lollapalooza music festival at which Roan performed, according to an Instagram Story Jorginho posted on March 21.
Brazil-born Jorginho, 34, played for English Premier League giants Chelsea and Arsenal before returning to his birth nation to play for Flamengo in June 2025.
In his story, Jorginho said his 11-year-old stepdaughter, a big fan of Roan, had recognised the singer during breakfast at the hotel. She became excited and wanted to confirm if it was really Roan, so she walked past Roan’s table and smiled at her, wrote Jorginho.
He claims that a security guard came over to his family’s table shortly after and “began speaking in an extremely aggressive manner”. The guard allegedly said that his wife “shouldn’t allow my stepdaughter to ‘disrespect’ or ‘harass’ other people”.
Jorginho added that the man said he would file a complaint against them with the hotel over the incident, which left his stepdaughter “extremely shaken” and in tears.
The post went viral and many netizens attacked Grammy-winning Roan for being unfriendly.
Roan, 28, responded on March 22 in an Instagram Story of her own, saying that she did not ask the security guard to talk to Jorginho’s wife and stepdaughter, and that he was not a part of her security team.
In another post reacting to online comments about the incident, she added: “I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children.
“I’m sorry to the mother and child, that someone was assuming something, that you would do something, and if you felt uncomfortable, that makes me really sad. You did not deserve that.”
In his April 13 post, Jorginho said the matter was a misunderstanding, and it was important that it was clarified fairly and accurately.
He also stressed that he does not support hate speech or online attacks, and regrets the impact the situation had on Roan and his family.
He said: “I will always stand up for my family. But I also know how to recognise when things were not quite what they seemed at first.
“As far as I am concerned, this matter is closed.”
