ATLANTA, GEORGIA–The simple gesture of Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to choose mineral water over bottles of Coke in a Euro 2020 news conference has caused Coca-Cola to lose $4bn in market value.
The shocking and interesting news made headlines on Monday during the press briefing of his national team’s Group F opener against Hungary.
Sources said Ronaldo moved the glass bottles out of the camera frame and instead held up a bottle of water and said in Portuguese: “Water!”
Ronaldo made the gesture since he is an advocate of a healthy diet.
Despite the loss of potential income, Coca-Cola in a press statement still respects the decision of Ronaldo to snub their products over a bottle of mineral water.
“Everyone is entitled to their drink preferences” with different “tastes and needs,” Coca-Cola said in a statement.
It was learned that Coca-Cola, is an official sponsor of Euro 2020 and has 200 brands worldwide, including different types of water.
A Euro 2020 spokesperson revealed players are offered water, alongside Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, on arrival at our press conferences.
They added that without the support of brands like Coca-Cola, “we could not organize a tournament with such success for players and fans, nor invest in the future of football at all levels.”
Coca-Cola’s partnership with UEFA goes back to 1988 with the company having “a long tradition of supporting all sports at its various levels” and which has allowed “investment in football at all levels.”
