Former adult film actress Mia Khalifa has vehemently denied unsubstantiated rumours that she was involved in a romantic relationship with World Cup winner Julian Alvarez, using a controversial reference to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in her response.
Rumours Surface in 2024
In 2024, reports from Argentina and Italy linked Khalifa, now 31, to a romance with the 26-year-old Manchester City and Atletico Madrid striker. Alvarez, who has played a bit-part role for Argentina behind Lionel Messi, is yet to score at the World Cup but has been the subject of intense transfer speculation, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Arsenal reportedly interested.
Despite the buzz on social media, there was no evidence to support the claims of a relationship between Khalifa and Alvarez, who is seven years her junior.
Khalifa's 9/11 Reference
Khalifa, a Lebanese-American, took to X to address the rumours directly. She wrote: "To clear things up: I'm not dating anybody, and if I was, it certainly wouldn't be someone not old enough to remember where they were on 9/11." The post raised eyebrows due to its reference to the al-Qaeda attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
Alvarez, who was only 18 months old at the time of 9/11, did not comment on the accusations. He remains in a long-term relationship with Maria Emilia Ferrero, a PE teacher turned influencer whom he met in their native Argentina. The couple have a child together, and Alvarez frequently engages with Ferrero's social media posts.
Khalifa's Personal Life and Career
Khalifa, whose real name is Sarah Joe Chamoun, has been married twice: first to her high school boyfriend, whose identity remains private, and later to Swedish chef Robert Sandberg. She was also in a relationship with Puerto Rican rapper Jhayco.
Since leaving the adult film industry, Khalifa has built a career as a social media influencer. She is an avid sports fan, particularly of football, and supports West Ham United. She has appeared on Arsenal's YouTube channel AFTV, where she explained her fandom: "My team for hockey is the Capitals, for American football is the Redskins, for basketball is the Wizards and the Nationals for baseball." Asked how she came to follow West Ham, she replied: "Well if my other teams tell you anything, it's that I love teams that suck." She added that she learned about West Ham from the film Green Street Hooligans.
Previous Viral Incident
Khalifa was also forced to speak out during the World Cup after a viral AI-generated image appeared to show her supporting the USA alongside fellow adult star Lana Rhoades at a match against Paraguay. Khalifa clarified on Instagram: "It's AI, I wouldn't have a team USA hat."
