Uruguay striker Luciano Rodriguez experienced an awkward moment during his transfer unveiling with Brazilian giants Cruzeiro when his girlfriend, Anto Ciavaglia, did not reciprocate his attempt to kiss her on stage. The incident occurred as Rodriguez, 23, celebrated his loan move to the club.
As Rodriguez leaned in for a kiss in front of the cameras, Ciavaglia turned away, leaving him momentarily alone. Video footage of the encounter quickly circulated on social media.
Ciavaglia, a model with over 170,000 Instagram followers who has been compared to Kim Kardashian, addressed the situation, stating that her reaction was due to nervousness. She explained that upon entering, she greeted Rodriguez, but as she was leaving, the moment overwhelmed her, and she chose to give him space, emphasizing that there was no disrespect intended.
Rodriguez, who has been capped five times for Uruguay, previously played for Bahia in Brazil and more recently for Neom in the Saudi Pro League. He scored six goals in 30 appearances for Neom last season. The loan to Cruzeiro includes a reported £14.95 million buy option. At Cruzeiro, he will join former Leeds forward Luis Sinisterra and ex-West Brom player Matheus Pereira.
Rodriguez's mother was also present at the unveiling and was seen in tears of pride. He has previously won the Under-20s World Cup and the Uruguayan Premier Division with Liverpool Montevideo in 2023. Ciavaglia has previously commented on the 'Uruguayan Kim Kardashian' comparison, stating that she finds it "super cute" because she admires Kardashian.