Controversial San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick unwittingly found himself at the center of another storm on Friday as his praise for Fidel Castro was spread hours before the Cuban dictator's death was announced.

On Friday afternoon, Kaepernick's praise for the communist leader's education system sparked divide among fans.

He was explaining why he wore a t-shirt bearing the politician's image in August when he credited Castro for 'investing' more in schools than in prisons.

Hours later, Castro's death was announced by his brother Raul on state television.

Twitter users were quick to pick up on Kaepernick's ill-timed comments.

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Colin Kaepernick's comments defending Fidel Castro were made known on Friday hours before the Cuban leader's death. Kaepernick was explaining why he wore a t-shirt bearing Castro's image in August (left) when he credited his 'education system'

Twitter users were quick to pick up on Kaepernick's ill-timed comments (above)

' I doubt Colin Kaepernick could have had worse timing in praising Fidel Castro,' said one.

'Looks like Colin Kaepernick's support literally sen Fidel Castro over the edge.

'Can't make this up. After Kaepernick advocates for the communism leader, Fidel Castro has died,' others mused.

Castro's death was announced in the early hours of Saturday morning by his brother Raul.

On Wednesday, Kaepernick, who told The Palm Beach Post that his choice of a t-shirt bearing Castro's image back in August did not mean he sided with his oppressive regime.

The quarterback first pointed out that Malcolm X was also pictured on his t-shirt, saying he was a believer in Malcolm X's ideology and fighting oppression.

The fact that Malcolm X met Castro in 1960 at Harlem's Hotel Theresa, Kaepernick said, shows that he was open-minded and 'willing to hear different aspects of people's views'.

When the reporter, who hasn't been named, pressed Kaepernick specifically on Castro's history of oppression, he replied: 'One thing that Fidel Castro did do is they have the highest literacy rate because they invest more in their education system than they do in their prison system, which we do not do here, even though we're fully capable of doing that.'

Kaepernick wore this t-shirt in August while being questioned over his other protests. It depicted Castro's meeting with Malcolm X in Harlem in 1960

Castro's brother Raul announced his death in the early hours of Saturday morning

The reporter replied: 'He also did something that we do not do here: he broke up families, he took over a country without any justice and without any election'.

Kaepernick fought back: 'We do break up families here. That's what mass incarceration is. That was the foundation of slavery so our country has been based on that as well as the genocide of native Americans.'

When the reporter asked whether Kaepernick was equating the breaking up of Cuban families with people going to jail in the United States, Kaepernick said: 'I'm equating the breaking up of families with the breaking up of families.'

After a brief silence, the reporter replied: 'Wow. That's amazing.'

Kaepernick, who wore a hat with an 'X' on it along with the T-shirt, initially insisted he had worn the T-shirt specifically as a tribute to Malcolm X.

The T-shirt features several photos of Malcolm X and Castro talking, with the caption: 'Like minds think alike.'

'I'm not talking about Fidel Castro and his oppression. I'm talking about Malcolm X and what he's done for people,' he told the reporter.

The 29-year-old sparked controversy earlier this year when he took a knee during the national anthem at the side of the football field. He later explained the gesture was a protest against how black people are oppressed in the US.

Kaepernick sparked controversy earlier this year when he took a knee during the national anthem in protest of the treatment of blacks in America

Kaepernick initially earned some criticism for wearing a T-shirt featuring the Cuban leader. Some thought it contradicted Kaepernick's stance against oppression in the United States.

The quarterback, who has repeatedly knelt instead of standing during the national anthem, hit out at reports that suggested his protests were to blame for the NFL's decreasing viewership.

'I would say they probably need to look in the mirror at what they value,' Kaepernick said.

'You know, if they're OK with people being treated unfairly, being abused, being harassed, being terrorized, then the problem is more with what they're doing in their lives than it is about watching football games.'