At least one water brand was paying attention when Cristiano Ronaldo removed two Coca-Cola bottles that had been placed in front of him at a press conference and instead held up a bottle of water shouting "agua" in Portuguese.
"Couldn't have said it better ourselves!" Evian tweeted, along with a clip of the incident that occurred at a Monday Euro 2020 press event.
Couldn't have said it better ourselves! #stayhydrated �� #drinktrue #CR7 https://t.co/dL7TYX1Ze5
— evian (@evianwater) June 15, 2021
The famously health-conscious Portugal and Juventus star’s avoidance of the soda coincided with a $4 billion drop in the market value of Coca-Cola, according to ESPN.
The World Health Organization also backed Ronaldo in a tweet on Thursday, using his move as a way to educate Twitter followers about how to stay healthy and fit.
Stay fit & healthy like @Cristiano �� by reducing sugar consumption and limiting intake of sweets & sugary drinks.
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) June 16, 2021
There is more you can do ��https://t.co/60b3xRjMEB #BeatNCDs pic.twitter.com/qMXLh5HFOk
Ronaldo’s action may have inspired other players to express their opinion about brand placements at pressers. On Tuesday, France and Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba removed a bottle of Heineken beer that had been placed in front of him. For Pogba, a Muslim, alcohol is forbidden.
Pogba doing a Ronaldo �� pic.twitter.com/Tsbdgjv24n
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 16, 2021