European football’s governing body called on players to remove bottles from beverage sponsors at press conferences, after Cristiano Ronaldo’s decision to move Bottles of Coca-Cola triggered a trend that worried officials.
Martin Kallen, UEFA Euro 2020 tournament director, told a briefing on Thursday that he had informed the 24 committed groups to respect the sponsors, saying they “are in favour of the tournament and European football”.
On Monday, Ronaldo moved two bottles of Coca-Cola from his seat at a press convention ahead of Portugal’s attack on Hungary, with the health-conscious Portuguese superstar instead holding a bottle of water without a label.
Ronaldo’s public snub to Coca-Cola was widely noted as a contributing factor to the company’s percentage value falling 1. 6% on Monday, as the company’s market cost fell to $4 billion since markets closed Friday.
French star Paul Pogba made a decision at a press conference on Tuesday, moving a bottle of Heineken from his seat after France’s 1-0 win over Germany.
Pogba is a practicing Muslim who abstains from alcohol, however, the Heineken bottle is his non-alcoholic edition “0. 0” that the corporation strongly promoted.
Apparently, the straw that broke the camel’s back for UEFA came on Wednesday, when Italian midfielder Manuel Locatelli took the bottles of Coca-Cola before speaking at a press conference.
“This is vital because the sponsors’ source of income is vital to the tournament and to European football,” Kallen said Thursday.
The European Football Championship is one of the most watched sporting events in the world, with around 2 billion people connected to the last tournament in 2016, and its prestige in foreign football is that of the Football World Cup. across the European continent in a special format for singles to commemorate their 60th anniversary, unlike the general format where all matches are played in a single host country. Coca-Cola, Heineken, Qatar Airways, Takeaway. com, TikTok and Vivo Mobile are listed as official sponsors of the tournament.
Ronaldo, 36, scored two goals in Portugal’s 3-0 win over Hungary on Monday, making him the most sensible goalscorer in European Cup history. His appearance in the game means he has become the first player to play in five European championships, and scored in all of them. Ronaldo is just 3 goals away from Iran’s Ali Daei in the foreign standings.
The tournament continues until July 11, when the last one will be played at Wembley Stadium in London.
UEFA calls on Euro 2020 groups to avoid sponsor bottles (The Associated Press)
Cristiano Ronaldo’s snob wipes out billions in Coca-Cola market (The Guardian)
I am a New Orleans-based reporter for Forbes, the southern United States and the latest news. Previously, I wrote for The Times-Picayune | Cover of The New Orleans Advocate
I’m a reporter for Forbes based in New Orleans, which covers the southern United States and the latest news. Previously, I wrote for The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate covering the government.