Euros championship 'Bottlegate' spreads from Coca-Cola to Heineken

Manchester United's Paul Pogba on Tuesday moved a bottle of non-alcoholic Heineken NV beer out of sight when giving a press conference at the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, where he's representing France

Two of the world’s best-known drinks brands have felt the viral ripples caused by simple gestures from stars of the world’s most popular sport.

Manchester United Plc’s Paul Pogba on Tuesday moved a bottle of non-alcoholic Heineken NV beer out of sight when giving a press conference at the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, where he’s representing France. The teetotal midfielder appeared to be mirroring the actions of Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who on Monday swapped a bottle of Coca-Cola for water, in a clip that was widely shared on social media.

Pogba’s move came just hours after Heineken had quipped about Ronaldo’s preference for “agua” on Twitter.

The episode brings into question the suitability of certain brands as sponsors of professional sports, while highlighting the growing influence of individual sportsmen and women whose actions reach huge audiences via social media.