In shunning cola, Ronaldo has set the cat among pigeons

Cristiano Ronaldo did what he does best on the football field on Tuesday night. After an agonising first half, during which he missed at least two clear chances against Hungary in Portugal's Euro opener in Budapest, the star striker slotted in two goals in the second to fashion the defending champions' 3-0 win. However, his actions off the turf on the eve of the match were as dramatic, the aftereffects of which are still being felt.

It's not clear if it was an impulsive or an intuitive move, but Ronaldo openly shunning Coca-Cola and practically telling people to drink water instead has caused ripples. The American soft drink giant has already seen a $4 billion fall in its share price, and Ronaldo's actions may have short-term to long-term ramifications in the way cola companies associate themselves with mega sporting events.

While Coca-Cola will certainly take up the matter with the Euro organisers, who earn big bucks through sponsorship from the company, it would also be concerned about the impact Ronaldo's messaging may have on not just the consumers of their products, but also the possibility of other top athletes across the world following the suit. As if on cue, France's Paul Pogba removed a bottle of Heineken beer in front of him during a press conference on Tuesday, though he left Coca-Cola pets untouched.

Arguably the most popular football player today, Ronaldo has over 300 million followers on Instagram and more than 92 million on Twitter, and his capacity to influence and shape opinions isn't lost on anyone.

In the past, there have been several instances of Indian sportspersons deciding not to endorse fizzy soft drinks. Way back in 2001, Pullela Gopichand, who had become the toast of the nation after his triumph at the All England Badminton Championship that year, was offered a deal by a cola giant to endorse its drink. The Hyderabadi, however, rejected the lucrative contract, for he didn't want to ask people to consume something he didn't believe was healthy.

Gopichand was perhaps the first big name in Indian sport to take such a "principled" stand when big individual endorsement deals in sport, especially in badminton, were rare. Over the years, we have also seen global cricket icon Virat Kohli and badminton ace PV Sindhu shun endorsement offers from companies that manufacture aerated drinks. While they may have said no to promote colas, they have done so in their individual capacities. Though they don't directly encourage millions of their followers to consume products that are presumed to be unhealthy, they are "forced" do so indirectly when they take part in big international events.

From cricket to football to tennis to Olympic events, cola companies invest heavily to use these popular platforms to promote their products, and utilise every visual opportunity to showcase them. One of the most favoured ways to brand colas is media conferences by athletes. A big board with the names of various sponsors is placed in the background, while aerated drinks are placed on the table strategically across athletes addressing the media. It's hard for cameramen to avoid those bottles on display while 'shooting' the athlete.

Many athletes, who are aware of the health hazards of carbonated soft drinks, may feel helpless at their predicament, but carry on silently fearing repercussions from the powers that be. Something had to give, though, and Ronaldo did the unusual, if not the unthinkable. The Portugal captain shifted the bottles of Coca-Cola away from him during a press conference ahead of his country’s Group F game against Hungary. He followed it up by holding up a bottle of water before declaring in Portuguese: “Agua!”

In a statement the following day, Coca-Cola said “everyone is entitled to their drink preferences” with different “tastes and needs”, while a Euro spokesperson said: “Players are offered water, alongside Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, on arrival at our press conferences.”

While it remains to be seen how the Euro organisers react to this public snub to one of their official sponsors, for whom they often bend over backwards and accommodate their wishes in order to win a big-ticket partnership, Ronaldo certainly has set the cat among pigeons.