Pakistan won an exciting match against France in the semi-final of the Nations Hockey Cup on June 20, beating them 3-2 in a shootout. But it wasn’t just the win that got people talking — it was what the team captain Ammad Butt said afterward that grabbed attention online.
Right after the match, Ammad Butt posted a story on Instagram saying, “Rafale down again.” This was a cheeky comment, hinting at past military events where Pakistan claimed it had shot down Indian Rafale jets, which are made in France. His post connected the hockey win to those earlier tensions, and it quickly went viral on social media.
Pakistan hockey captain Ammad Butt's Instagram story. 🇵🇰🔥 pic.twitter.com/v07RHLMP4p
— 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞 (@CallMeSheri1) June 20, 2025
People on social media noticed Ammad Butt’s post right away. Even though he later deleted it, many users had already seen it and started sharing their thoughts and reactions online.
Wrong spelling,it is raFAIL actually.
— Uvais (@uvaissss_) June 21, 2025
Halala ki paidaish Rafael Down karne ki aukat he to ek bhi drones q nahi rok paye apne airbases ko barbad karne se 😂
— Hindu (@Hindutvvaa) June 20, 2025
Many people on social media found Ammad Butt’s post funny and said this win was not just in hockey, but also felt like a “small payback.” Some called his post patriotic, while others felt that mixing sports with politics was not a good idea.
Some users said such comments could be disrespectful to the other team, but many Pakistanis praised their captain for being bold and confident.
Even though the post was deleted quickly, it had already spread across social media. Hashtags like #RafaleDownAgain started trending on Twitter and Instagram, and this moment became a big part of Pakistan’s celebration after the win.
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