The French campaign at the FIFA World Cup 2026 is over with a brutal 0-2 semifinal thrashing by Spain, which advanced to secure a spot in the finals. While the French camp is shell-shocked, the Spaniards are celebrating, and so is its fan base globally. A few disinterested parties are also reveling in the Spain win, or rather, France’s loss! As Mbappe & co. conceded, the Telegram Messenger app tweeted in all caps, “BYE BYE," along with a screengrab of the result.
BYE BYE 👋 pic.twitter.com/YTv1xrLaqR — Telegram Messenger (@telegram) July 14, 2026
SPAIN ARE HEADING TO THE WORLD CUP FINAL AFTER ELIMINATING FRANCE 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/C7SUEHHCxf — ESPN (@espn) July 14, 2026
Telegram’s French Slamfest & Pavel Durov’s Arrest; Kuch Samjha?
Telegram's jibe has nothing to do with football or FIFA for that matter. The subtle dig comes in the wake of its billionaire boss and co-founder Pavel Durov’s arrest in France in 2024. Here’s the timeline of what happened:
- July 8, 2024: Paris prosecutors open a preliminary investigation into criminal activity allegedly facilitated via Telegram, including drug trafficking, wire fraud, and distribution of CSAM.
- August 24, 2024: Durov detained by French customs and anti-fraud officers at Le Bourget Airport after landing on his private jet from Azerbaijan.
- August 28, 2024: Prosecutors indict Durov on 12 charges. The billionaire is placed under judicial supervision and barred from leaving France after $8.91 million bail.
- September 2024: Telegram announces it will begin sharing users' IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities holding valid search warrants. *
- Until November 2025: Durov is required to report to French police every two weeks.
- November 13, 2025: France fully lifts the travel ban.
Telegram’s French Slamfest & Elon Musk’s Defence
The French arrest was hailed as an assault against freedom of expression and free speech. Even Elon Musk slammed the government of France over Pavel Durov’s arrest, asking why Meta’s Zuckerberg is not arrested instead. On another occasion, the French authorities trolled Musk over CSAM in Grok and X/Twitter. TBF, all of these apps, including Mark Zuckerberg’s Instagram, Elon Musk’s X/Twitter, and Pavel Durov’s Telegram, are a breeding ground for exploiters and scammers.
Meanwhile, Durov slammed the arrest as absurd and politically motivated.
* Per Telegram's representative
“Telegram's Privacy Policy has allowed the disclosure of the IP addresses and phone numbers of criminals who breach its Terms of Service, in response to valid legal requests, since 2018.” The September 2024 update did not introduce this policy; it only updated its wording and communication.
See Also: Telegram's Billionaire Boss Reveals How He Coded His First Social Media App By Surviving On Boiled Pasta (And Cheese)
Cover: Screenshot | Telegram’s tweet
Source: Mashable
