Tag: Cristiano Ronaldo

  • Italian footballer, Locatelli, latest player to snub Coca-Cola

    Italian footballer, Locatelli, latest player to snub Coca-Cola

    Italian footballer Manuel Locatelli is the latest footballer to snub Coca-Cola in a press conference.

    It’s been quite an intriguing journey for Coca-Cola, one of the sponsors of Euro 2020 tournament. After being snubbed by Cristiano Ronaldo at a press conference ahead of Portugal vs Hungary match, the soft drink company was subjected to a similar rejection by Italy’s midfielder.

    Locatelli arrived at the post-match news conference after producing a Man-of-the-Match performance against Switzerland in Italy’s 3-0 win. On spotting the two Coca-Cola bottles placed in front of him, the midfielder decided to remove them from the sight. Locatelli also chuckled a little as he took the bottles out of focus, aware of the stir such an act had created when Ronaldo had done the same a couple of days ago.

    The Italian midfielder, who scored two goals for Italy in the team’s second group-stage match, then picked up a water bottle and put it right in the middle, echoing Ronaldo’s sentiments that one should be drinking water over aerated drinks, but in a subtle manner.

    Earlier, Ronaldo’s Coca-Cola snub had hurt the beverage maker’s brand value quite significantly. It was reported that soon after the Portuguese footballer’s act, Coca-Cola’s stock prices crashed and the brand ended up losing a whopping USD 4 billion from its market value. As Ronaldo urged the world to adopt a healthier lifestyle, the move had huge repercussions.

    Ronaldo and Locatelli aren’t the only ones to snub an official sponsor of the European championships. France midfielder Paul Pogba displayed a similar approach as he picked up a Heineken beer bottle and placed it behind the news conference table.

    After Ronaldo’s gesture, Coca-Cola was forced to release a statement saying: ‘Everyone is entitled to their drink preferences’ and that people have their ‘tastes and needs’.

    Even a Euro 2020 spokesperson addressed the chatter around the topic saying: “Players are offered water, alongside Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, on arrival at our press conferences.”

    Meanwhile, UEFA warned that the teams could be fined if they move drinks at Euro 2020 news conferences.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo removes Coca-Cola bottles at Euro 2020 presser, prefers water

    Cristiano Ronaldo removes Coca-Cola bottles at Euro 2020 presser, prefers water

    Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo removed Coca-Cola bottles placed in front of him in a pre-match Euro 2020 press conference on Monday before holding up a bottle of water to the room and declaring people should drink water instead.

    Read more – Eriksen collapses during Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland

    Then, for dramatic effect, he rolled his eyes and said with borderline disgust, “Coca-Cola”.

    The brand is an official sponsor of the tournament, but as Ronaldo took his seat in front of reporters, he almost immediately looked uncomfortable.

    https://twitter.com/goal/status/1404716751988928515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1404716751988928515%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-3752715264888482453.ampproject.net%2F2106030132000%2Fframe.html

    Ronaldo is not just health-obsessed but has previously revealed that it irritates him when his son drinks fizzy drinks.

    Ronaldo is one of the most supremely fit footballer even at the age of 36 years. Heading into his 50th Euro Championship, Ronaldo still remains one of the most feared strikers in the world.

    Meanwhile, Portugal begin their play in Group F on Tuesday against Hungary before facing Germany on Saturday and France next Wednesday.

  • Ronaldo rejects Rs8 crores-a-month deal with Saudi Arabia ‘because it sportswashes human rights abuse’

    Footballing star Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly rejected a $6 million-a-year (Rs96 crores-a-year or Rs8 crores-a-month) offer to be the face of Saudi Arabian tourism.

    But the Middle Eastern country has not given up hope of attracting a world-class footballer to help them out, with Lionel Messi in their sights.

    According to The Telegraph, the deal on offer is understood to include the player making visits to the Kingdom and his image being used in all promotional material. But the 35-year-old Juventus striker has decided to “pass” on the offer.

    Concerns have been raised over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record as the country tries to attract world-class sport to its shores. Sports and entertainment have formed part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy and improve its international reputation.

    However, groups such as Amnesty International have long campaigned against what it says is the Kingdom’s use of such connections to distract from its human rights violations. 

    Meanwhile, Messi’s views on the deal are not yet known.

    Representatives of both Ronaldo and Messi, however, have refused to discuss the matter when approached by The Telegraph.

    Saudi Arabia staged the Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah in 2020, with Messi’s Barcelona competing for the trophy alongside Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Valencia. 

    In October, a coalition of human rights groups called for a boycott of the first Ladies European Tour golf event being held in Saudi Arabia over concerns it would be used to “sportswash” Riyadh’s record on women’s rights.

    Also last year, Amnesty cautioned against Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund’s attempted takeover of Newcastle United FC of the English Premier League. 

    The takeover ultimately failed after several months of waiting to pass the league’s owners and directors test.
     
    Amnesty International has also raised concerns over this year’s Saudi Formula One race planned for Jeddah. 

  • Ronaldo becomes the first person to reach 250 million followers on Instagram

    Ronaldo becomes the first person to reach 250 million followers on Instagram

    Juventus star forward Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved an impressive milestone outside the football field, becoming the first person in the world to hit the 250 (251 now) million mark on Instagram.

    With 19.7 million likes, Ronaldo also managed to hold the record of the most-liked post of 2020. The Portuguese star’s post mourning the death of soccer legend Diego Maradona got the most number of likes on Instagram last year.

    Ronaldo himself follows only 458 people on Instagram. 

    The five-time Ballon d’Or enjoys a great fan-following across the globe and is one of the most prominent sportspersons in the world.

    The second most followed sportsperson on Instagram is Ronaldo’s arch-nemesis, Lionel Messi, with 175 million followers. Meanwhile, Brazil’s Neymar has 144 million followers.

    Sharing the news on Instagram, Ronaldo wrote: “What an incredible number! Thank you all, you’re part of this journey.”

    According to Forbes, Ronaldo earns nearly USD 1 million per sponsored post on Instagram.

    Meanwhile, Ariana Grande is the second most-followed individual and most-followed woman on Instagram, with over 214 million followers. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is the third most followed person with over 210 million followers.