Ruben Diaz, the Manchester City footballer and ex-boyfriend of TV personality Maya Jama, has been accused of using a controversial online flirting tactic known as 'toe-dipping' just days after their split. The 29-year-old athlete reportedly followed and then unfollowed several stunning influencers, including a former Love Island star, in a bid to gauge their interest.
The Toe-Dipping Technique
Toe-dipping involves following a user on social media to provoke a reaction. If the follow is not reciprocated, the user is quickly unfollowed. Fans have allegedly tracked Diaz's activity, noting a pattern of following and unfollowing women, often within a day.
One fan commented online in 2024: 'Our favourite alpha sex god keeping us entertained with following, unfollowing, re-following and liking the pics of a random assortment of women on IG.'
Targets of the Tactics
Among those reportedly followed by Diaz is Australian Love Island star Amelia Marni, who resides in London and is in a relationship. He also briefly followed a blonde TikTok influencer named Georgia. There is no evidence that Diaz has met or interacted with these women beyond the follows.
Split from Maya Jama
Maya Jama, 31, and Diaz ended their 18-month relationship three weeks ago, shortly before Jama flew to Inverness to film the new series of Celebrity Traitors. The couple had been dating since December 2024 after meeting at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Manchester.
Following the split, both deleted all photos of each other from their Instagram accounts. Jama also remained silent on social media when Diaz lifted the FA Cup trophy with Manchester City over the weekend, despite previously supporting him at matches.
Reasons for the Split
Sources indicate that the breakup was amicable, with both parties recognizing that the relationship had 'run its course' due to demanding career schedules. An insider told The Sun: 'Maya is heading into an intense filming schedule and Ruben's focus is fully on the World Cup, so they've decided to part ways. There's no bad blood at all between them. They're still incredibly fond of one another.'
The source added: 'Friends around them could see how much they cared about each other. But with Maya's work schedule and Ruben's football commitments ramping up, the relationship naturally reached a crossroads. The split has been very mature and mutual. They're both young, ambitious and entering huge phases in their respective careers.'
Fan Reactions
Fans noted the timing of the split, coinciding with Manchester City losing the Premier League title to Arsenal. One fan posted on X: 'Ruben Dias lost the title and Maya Jama in the same week? It's tuffff.' Others speculated that the breakup might lead to a resurgence in Diaz's performance, with comments like: 'Ruben Dias loading next season;' and 'PRIME RUBEN DIAS IS GONNA BE BACK OH MY GODDDDD.'
Representatives for both Diaz and Jama have been contacted for comment by the Daily Mail.
