In fairness, it ought to be obvious that it’s very likely to be a fake.
Firstly, it’s extremely unlikely that a friend of the player would go public. Not least because the player would know who it was, but also because it would be a shitty thing to do.
Secondly, because a professional player is highly unlikely to think or say those things to anyone, not least the sort of person who might divulge and certainly not by text message.
Thirdly because it’s very likely (given the circumstances) that our local rivals would manufacture something like this as banter.