Argentina’s talisman Lionel Messi and Portugal’s linchpin Cristiano Ronaldo have always been involved in the cat-mouse race as far as breaking and setting new records is concerned. Both the big players are regarded as two of the best footballers of the current generation and their skills have always left the football aficionados awestruck.

Messi and Ronaldo are known for their incredible skills and they have taken the Football level to new heights. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi scored a stunning free-kick to help Argentina beat Ecuador by 3-0 in the ongoing Copa America.

#CopaAmerica

!Bombazo! Lionel Messi la clavo de tiro libre para el 3-0 final de @Argentina sobre @LaTri

Argentina Ecuador #VibraElContinente #VibraOContinente pic.twitter.com/FcvQrHuRka

— Copa America (@CopaAmerica) July 4, 2021

This was the 58th goal from a free-kick spot for the Argentine and he has now overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo’s record. Furthermore, this was Messi’s 76th goal for Argentina which takes him one shy of Pelé’s record for the most goals by a South American in men’s internationals.

Meanwhile, Rodrigo de Paul scored the opening goal for Argentina in the 40th minute whereas Lautaro Martinez scored the second goal in the 84th minute. Messi was able to seal the deal with a brilliant free-kick in the stoppage time.

Argentina won by 3-0 but Messi stated that the scoreline doesn’t tell the full picture.

“The truth is it was a very tough match. We knew the difficulty of playing Ecuador, who work hard with players who are fast, physically strong, young,” said Messi.

“It was a battle until we managed the (second) goal,” he added.

Messi added that his focus is not on personal milestones but he wants to take Argentina all the way in the tournament.

“I always say it: individual [moments] are secondary, we are here for something else,” Messi said. “I want to congratulate the group for the work they are doing – we have been away from our families for many days.”

Argentina will next face Colombia in the semifinal on Tuesday.

Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli’s fans are not only in India but all over the world. This can be gauged by looking at his millions of followers on Instagram.

More than 130 million people follow Virat on the famous social networking platform. As per HopperHQ’s 2021 ‘Instagram Richlist 2021’ , team India captain Virat Kohli holds the top spot among Indians in terms of earnings and’ features among some of the world’s highest-paid celebrities’ on Instagram.

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According to this list, Virat earns INR 5 crore from a sponsored post on Instagram. Virat Kohli, at 19th spot, is the only Indian in the top 20 of this richlist. 

According to Hopper HQ, the highest earning player from an Instagram post is Portugal’s star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. The Juventus star charges Rs 11.9 crore for an Instagram post.

Ronaldo posted the latest post on Instagram 4 days ago, in which he is seen with Portugal’s football team. This picture is taken during Euro 2020, in which Ronaldo’s team’s journey came to a halt in round 16.

Ronaldo was also the first person to cross 200 million followers on Instagram. WWE star Dwayne Johnson holds second spot in the list of most followers on Instagram. The wrestler-turned-actor has more than 24 crore followers on Instagram.

The second highest-paid player for an Instagram post is Argentine star footballer Lionel Messi. Messi charges Rs 8.6 crore for an Instagram post. Messi is currently working to boost Argentina’s hopes in the Copa America. Messi’s contract with Barcelona expired on June 30.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo might still be licking his wounds after an early exit from UEFA Euro 2020 after a loss to Belgium last week but he has some else to cheer about off the field. The Juventus star has risen to the top of Instagram’s yearly rich list of celebrities who can charge the most for a sponsored post, with the footballer commanding as much as $1.6 million (£1.2 million) to endorse any product on the social media platform.

The 36-year-old footballer has toppled former WWE superstar and current Hollywood bigshot Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson off the top spot. This is a major upheaval as for the first time anyone other than reality TV, film, and music stars from the United States has topped the list which started in 2017.

The amount increased significantly in a year, nearly doubling from the previous estimate of $889,000 in 2019. The third-placed Portuguese footballer in 2019 beat Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Kylie Jenner.

Ronaldo has more than 300 million Instagram followers, having gained more than 125 million since the beginning of the year, more than tripling his previous high of 100 million in 2017 when the first ‘rich list’ was published. His total social media following is around 550 million, which includes the major platforms Facebook and Twitter.

Johnson, who is the star in the Fast and Furious film franchise, has 250 million Instagram followers and can earn just over USD 1.52 million (£1 million) each post, while pop artist Ariana Grande (USD 1.51 million) is third on the list.

The only other sportsperson in the top 10 list is Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-time rival Lionel Messi. The Argentine forward who recently became a free agent after his Barcelona contract expired has 224 million followers, can charge up to $1.1m (£798,011) per post, placing him on the seventh position. Paris St-Germain and Brazil forward Neymar ($824,000) is the next highest-placed athlete on the list in 16th.

Recently, Cristiano Ronaldo‘s action of moving two Coca-Cola bottles had a negative impact on the brand at the ongoing UEFA Euro 2020. Coca-Cola’s stock prices dropped 1.6% as they went from being worth $242 billion to $238 billion – a loss of $4 billion – according to a report in The Daily Star.

Cristiano Ronaldo qui deplace les bouteilles de Coca et qui dit “eau” en montrant aux journalistes pic.twitter.com/LaDNa95EcG

— Gio CR7 (@ArobaseGiovanny) June 14, 2021

Top 10 highest-earning stars on Instagram per post

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $1.6 million

2. Dwayne Johnson – $1.52 million

3. Ariana Grande – $1.51 million

4. Kylie Jenner – $1.49 million

5. Selena Gomez – $1.46 million

6. Kim Kardashian – $1.41 million

7. Lionel Messi – $1.16 million

8. Beyoncé Knowles – $1.14 million

9. Justin Bieber – $1.1 million

10. Kendall Jenner – $1.05 million

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo took the UEFA Euro 2020 by storm both on and off the field. Although defending champions Portugal have crashed out of the tournament after their loss to Belgium on Sunday (June 27) night, Ronaldo is still the leading goal-scorer in the tournament with five goals so far.

It was the Juventus legend’s act in a pre-match press conference which was as talked about during the tournament as the goals from his feet. Ronaldo kept the bottles of Coca-Cola aside during a press conference which sent the shares of the beverage giants tumbling resulting in a loss of $4 billion.

After Ronaldo’s gesture to snub Coca-Cola in favour of water at a press conference went viral, Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka was spotted drinking a bottle of the cold drink right before the penalty shootout against France in the Euro 2020 Round of 16 on Monday (June 28) night.

Ronaldo’s act even prompted UEFA  to issue a notification to players over not removing sponsors’ products from the press conference. However, as many argued that Ronaldo’s act was only a health caution, Switzerland’s Xhaka drank a bottle of Coca-Cola right before the penalty shootout took place against France on Monday. 

Here are the pictures…

Coke is the key to success. pic.twitter.com/reN1NrvfpH

— El Nino (@suppandiiii) June 29, 2021

Xhaka, who was named the man of the match in what is being called the biggest upset of the Euro 2020 campaign so far, was spotted drinking coke on the field the entire time as he gave a passionate talk to his teammates before the penalty shootout began.

The shootout resulted in Switzerland putting all five of their penalties past France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The Frenchmen, on the other hand, could only cover 4 of their 5 penalties which resulted in their elimination from the tournament.

Xhaka at full time: “Ronaldo should’ve drank coke, now he would be in the Euro quarter finals”

pic.twitter.com/VaKEdrDaIM

— Madrid Fan (@cristiano_peak) June 28, 2021

Since Switzerland’s victory, the pictures of Xhaka drinking Coca-Cola are going viral on Twitter, with many relating it to the Ronaldo Coke snub incident. While Ronaldo and Paul Pogba, who had removed a Heineken bottle at a press conference, are out of Euro 2020, Xhaka remains in the championship having revitalised himself by drinking a bottle of coke.

Xhaka was understandably elated after France’s 5-4 win in the penalty shootout. The Swiss skipper paid tribute to his teammates in a highly passionate manner.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of going past Ali Daei’s record of most international goals will have to wait as his team crashed out of the UEFA Euro 2020 with a 1-0 loss at the hands of Belgium in the last 16 stage. Ronaldo, who scored five goals before entering the knockout, failed to find the back of the net on Sunday (June 27) night in Seville. Defencing Euro champions Portugal had numerous chances to score but fail to convert any of them against Belgium.

A thunderous strike from Thorgan Hazard was enough for Belgium to make the first move against the Portuguese side as the defending champions never recovered from thereon. While Ronaldo tried everything, he wasn’t at his best – leading to his side’s heart-breaking exit.

In the Euro 2020 group stage alone, Portugal conceded more goals than in their victorious Euro 2016 campaign. But to be fair to coach Fernando Santos, his side was given a far harder draw this time around, meeting the last two world champions in France and Germany in Group F in addition to gritty Hungary.

They could only finish third and had to face Belgium, who 2018 World Cup semi-finalists and ranked No. 1 in the world. Their unforgiving path contrasted with 2016, when they met Iceland, Austria and Hungary in their group and then faced Poland, Croatia and Wales in the knockout stage before riding their luck in the final to beat hosts France 1-0 in extra-time.

Though Ronaldo tested Thibaut Courtois with a dipping free-kick in the first half, the 36-year-old could neither break the international goals record nor add to his goal-tally (5) in the tournament.

While Ronaldo remains a legend in Euro championship history (only player in the history of the UEFA Euro to feature in as many as five European championships), social media symphathised with the 36-year-old, and his side, after possibly his last appearance in the tournament. Here are some of the reactions after Portgual and Ronaldo’s exit:

Ronaldo today#EURO2020 #BELPOR #Ronaldo pic.twitter.com/peZIy61nLl

— Wackl der Twittexperte (@Twittexperte) June 27, 2021

 

Those who are slandering Ronaldo don’t know football, man did everything he could, he gave everything for his team and he almost scored. He was just unlucky. Anyways that’s what you get for being the GOAT #Ronaldo #GOAT #CR7 pic.twitter.com/FROSwp9Voj

— Cronaldoempire7 (@cronaldoempire7) June 27, 2021

 

#BELPOR #Ronaldo

Maybe we saw him playing last time in #UERO2021 pic.twitter.com/9BfNU9wel1

— Khalai Makhloq 2.0 (@beg4mercy_) June 27, 2021

Portugal’s campaign started with a memorable 3-1 win over Hungary, however, they were tested to a great extent by the giant killers. In their next outing, Portugal showed their inconsistency as Germany thrashed them 4-2. While Portugal signed off from the group stages with a competitive and intense 2-2 draw against France, Belgium exposed Portgual’s defensive approach and showed them that their side boasts of some of the most creative and wise technicians in the world.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo seemed heartbroken after his team was knocked out of UEFA Euro 2020 by Belgium on Sunday (June 27) night at Seville. It was a Thorgan Hazard goal in the 42nd-minute that made the difference. Ronaldo, who is 36, maybe playing his last Euro 2020 and the loss hurt Ronaldo even more. After the final whistle was blown, Ronaldo threw his armband on the pitch and looked gutted.

It was a heart-breaking moment for all Ronaldo fans across the globe. Even while heading to the dressing room, Ronaldo was spotted kicking his armband in disgust. During the Euro 2020 as well, Ronaldo was in sublime scoring form and was expected to become the leading international goal-scorer of all time. He needed merely one goal to go past Ali Daei, but that will have to wait.

Nahhh mannn, Possibly the last every time we see Ronaldo at the EUROS pic.twitter.com/1aPQVOLr0F

— Dhruvzzz (@dhruvzz8) June 27, 2021

In a heart-warming gesture, Romelu Lukaku was seen consoling Ronaldo after Portugal’s loss. The moment is already being loved by fans.

Lukaku: You are the goat and the best in history ,The Euro lost you

Cristiano Ronaldo: I know#BELPOR #Por pic.twitter.com/h3eHRDnIEs

— Eng Mourinho (@EngMourinho) June 27, 2021

Portugal’s players cried in the changing rooms after their 1-0 elimination from the Euros, with the defending champions feeling it should have been them who advanced after dominating much of the game, coach Fernando Santos said.

The Portuguese had 24 efforts on goal compared with Belgium’s six, and they also hit the woodwork. Belgium had just one effort on target, Thorgan Hazard’s long-range rocket shot in the 42nd minute that won the game.

“The ball would just not go in,” Santos said. “We feel very disappointed and sad. Players are crying in the changing rooms, as many Portuguese will be.

“The players gave everything they had to give, worked hard. But that’s football. They (Belgium) made six shots, one on goal and scored one goal, we had 24 shots and hit the post.”

Earlier, Ronaldo courted controversy when he removed Coca-Cola bottles during a pre-match presser ahead of the Hungary game. After removing the Coke bottles, he advised fans to have water and not the aerated drink. It is reported that following Ronaldo’s move, the beverage company incurred huge losses.

Belgium knocked defending champions Portugal out of Euro 2020 with a 1-0 victory in the last 16 on Sunday to set up a mouth-watering quarter-final tie against Italy. A 43rd-minute strike from Thorgan Hazard secured the win for Roberto Martinez’s team, who survived plenty of pressure from the Portuguese in the second half. But with the finishing touch missing, it was the end of the road for Cristiano Ronaldo and a Portugal team who had triumphed in Paris five years ago.

Ronaldo bows out with five goals from four games, and is currently the tournament’s top scorer. Yet it remains to be seen if the 36-year-old will return for a sixth Euros in Germany in 2024 or if the competition’s all-time top scorer will bow out of national team duty after the Qatar World Cup next year.

Belgium were among the pre-tournament favourites but this was a stodgy and uninspired display and they will need to raise their game significantly if they are to get past Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri who are unbeaten in 31 matches. Thorgan Hazard’s fine goal was their only effort on target in the whole 90 minutes and there was little invention or flair from their midfield.

“In the first half we were playing high and putting pressure on Portugal, but looking at that second half, we are lucky to win,” said Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen.

The task against Italy could be even more difficult if Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, who both came off with knocks in the second half, are unable to recover from their latest injury woes. Portugal began brightly and Diogo Jota wasted a great chance in the sixth minute, dragging his shot wide after Renato Sanches had broken from midfield and found him in a promising position on the left.

Ronaldo then tested Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois with a low-struck free kick as Fernando Santos’s team continued to apply pressure. But Belgium grew into the game with De Bruyne increasingly influential and they grabbed the lead three minutes before the interval.

“[The ball] didn’t want to go in today.”

Thibaut Courtois & Cristiano Ronaldo after the final whistle…#EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/oBDyZG3f8j

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 27, 2021

A smart passing move ended with Thomas Meunier feeding Thorgan Hazard, whose wickedly swerving shot flew past the wrong-footed Portugal keeper Rui Patricio. Patricio stepped to the right in anticipation of a near post shot but was unable to get back across and was beaten by an effort that flew in centrally.

“In these kinds of games you have to grab your chances with both hands and voila, the goalkeeper expected me to choose the other corner, so the ball went in,” said the scorer.

Belgium suffered a blow when De Bruyne limped off with an injury three minutes after the break and Santos sought to breathe life into his side’s attack by introducing Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix from the bench. Ronaldo, cutting in from the right, did well to find Jota in the box but again the forward`s effort was off target as Belgium struggled to contain their opponents.

Belgium’s attempts to counter were increasingly rare and Portugal turned up the heat in the final 10 minutes as they searched desperately for an equaliser. Courtois punched away a thundering Ruben Dias header from a corner and then Raphael Guerreiro struck the post with a sweet first-time shot from the edge of the box.

Deep in added time, Portugal created one final opportunity but Felix’s drive flashed just wide of Courtois’s right-hand post.

“I didn’t have a lot of work to do in the previous three games, but I knew that wasn’t going to be the case against Portugal,” said Courtois. “I am proud of my team mates; they defended very well. Italy will be difficult too, but we have proved today that we are ready for it,” he said.

Eden Hazard, who has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, went off with what looked like a hamstring strain three minutes from the end. Belgium will face Italy, who beat Austria 2-1 on Saturday, in Munich on July 2.

(with Reuters inputs)

Belgium knocked defending champions Portugal out of Euro 2020 with a 1-0 victory in the last 16 on Sunday to set up a mouth-watering quarter-final tie against Italy. A 43rd-minute strike from Thorgan Hazard secured the win for Roberto Martinez’s team, who survived plenty of pressure from the Portuguese in the second half. But with the finishing touch missing, it was the end of the road for Cristiano Ronaldo and a Portugal team who had triumphed in Paris five years ago.

Ronaldo bows out with five goals from four games, and is currently the tournament’s top scorer. Yet it remains to be seen if the 36-year-old will return for a sixth Euros in Germany in 2024 or if the competition’s all-time top scorer will bow out of national team duty after the Qatar World Cup next year.

Belgium were among the pre-tournament favourites but this was a stodgy and uninspired display and they will need to raise their game significantly if they are to get past Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri who are unbeaten in 31 matches. Thorgan Hazard’s fine goal was their only effort on target in the whole 90 minutes and there was little invention or flair from their midfield.

“In the first half we were playing high and putting pressure on Portugal, but looking at that second half, we are lucky to win,” said Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen.

The task against Italy could be even more difficult if Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, who both came off with knocks in the second half, are unable to recover from their latest injury woes. Portugal began brightly and Diogo Jota wasted a great chance in the sixth minute, dragging his shot wide after Renato Sanches had broken from midfield and found him in a promising position on the left.

Ronaldo then tested Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois with a low-struck free kick as Fernando Santos’s team continued to apply pressure. But Belgium grew into the game with De Bruyne increasingly influential and they grabbed the lead three minutes before the interval.

“[The ball] didn’t want to go in today.”

Thibaut Courtois & Cristiano Ronaldo after the final whistle…#EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/oBDyZG3f8j

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 27, 2021

A smart passing move ended with Thomas Meunier feeding Thorgan Hazard, whose wickedly swerving shot flew past the wrong-footed Portugal keeper Rui Patricio. Patricio stepped to the right in anticipation of a near post shot but was unable to get back across and was beaten by an effort that flew in centrally.

“In these kinds of games you have to grab your chances with both hands and voila, the goalkeeper expected me to choose the other corner, so the ball went in,” said the scorer.

Belgium suffered a blow when De Bruyne limped off with an injury three minutes after the break and Santos sought to breathe life into his side’s attack by introducing Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix from the bench. Ronaldo, cutting in from the right, did well to find Jota in the box but again the forward`s effort was off target as Belgium struggled to contain their opponents.

Belgium’s attempts to counter were increasingly rare and Portugal turned up the heat in the final 10 minutes as they searched desperately for an equaliser. Courtois punched away a thundering Ruben Dias header from a corner and then Raphael Guerreiro struck the post with a sweet first-time shot from the edge of the box.

Deep in added time, Portugal created one final opportunity but Felix’s drive flashed just wide of Courtois’s right-hand post.

“I didn’t have a lot of work to do in the previous three games, but I knew that wasn’t going to be the case against Portugal,” said Courtois. “I am proud of my team mates; they defended very well. Italy will be difficult too, but we have proved today that we are ready for it,” he said.

Eden Hazard, who has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, went off with what looked like a hamstring strain three minutes from the end. Belgium will face Italy, who beat Austria 2-1 on Saturday, in Munich on July 2.

(with Reuters inputs)

BRUSSELS: Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku believes he should be classified now as a world-class striker and says everything fell into place for him in the season just finished, as he looks ahead to meeting Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the European Championship on Sunday.

The comparison with the two has dominated the build-up to the last-16 clash between holders Portugal and top-ranked Belgium in Seville, in what could be the clash of the round.

Ronaldo is one goal away from setting a new record for most national team goals, while Lukaku is Belgium’s top scorer with 63 in 96 international appearances. 

“At his age, he continues to shine and I’m going to try and get as close to his achievements as possible,” Lukaku said of his Portuguese rival, who he added was a major source of inspiration and motivation.

“Oh, I need competition. When someone says he’s better than me, I want to transcend him. Ronaldo wants to be the best at everything, Mbappe also wants to win everything,” Lukaku told reporters.

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“I’ve taken a big step. Lewandowski, Benzema and Kane used to be talked about as world-class strikers. For me, those sort of comment was always limited to: ‘He is in shape’. Well, now I’m world class, too. That was my personal goal.” 

“It was important to start winning trophies, and the Serie A title with Inter gave me motivation and now I also want to win with the Red Devils. It would be the ultimate recognition for this team. If I play badly I will be really disappointed in myself and the team, because now is the right time to harvest.”

Belgium’s golden generation have been top of the FIFA rankings for almost three years but are without a major tournament triumph, losing in the semi-finals of Russia 2018 to France three years ago.

“We were not mature enough at the World Cup against France. We tried too hard to do well and were beaten. Now we know how to win in many different kinds of ways.” 

The European Championship is well and truly up for grabs as the tournament enters the knockouts after a compelling group stage in which some top nations fell short of expectations while two fallen powers staged a resurgence. Italy and the Netherlands, who both failed to qualify for the last World Cup, have played some of the best football and made up two of the three sides to win all their group games. Belgium, the number one ranked team in the world and the only top side to have fully lived up to expectations, were the other to accrue nine points.

World champions France, meanwhile, are yet to catch fire and were involved in one of the shocks of the tournament when they drew 1-1 with Hungary, only for Group F rivals Germany to suffer even more against the minnows before snatching a 2-2 draw to sneak into the last 16 and avoid another major tournament humiliation. More superpowers have struggled, such as holders Portugal, who were overwhelmed 4-2 by Germany and needed a flurry of late goals to beat the dogged Hungary.

Euro 2008 and 2012 winners Spain were booed off the pitch by unhappy fans after drawing their first two games and derided as ‘horrible’ by former Dutch player Rafael van der Vaart before eventually lifting off by hammering Slovakia 5-0. England coach Gareth Southgate meanwhile has faced criticism for deploying conservative tactics, in particular after a surprise 0-0 draw with Scotland, while his captain Harry Kane has had a tournament to forget and is yet to score.

“It will be tricky to bet who’s going to win this Euro because sometimes it’s obvious to see a team going through playing so well,” said former France player David Ginola on BBC radio. “But at this stage nobody can say because everyone is still on the same level. There’s not one team going through the roof.”

Italy have been perhaps the best side overall thanks to a remarkable tactical shift from Roberto Mancini, who has turned the nation famed for defensive ‘Catenaccio’ into a relentless pressing side capable of scoring from all areas.

Italy have benefitted from some kind fixtures though and should also make light work of Austria to make the quarter-finals, where their mettle will be truly tested by either Portugal or Belgium. The same is true of the Netherlands, who are the top scorers with eight goals but have looked vulnerable at the back and were fortunate not to concede against rank outsiders North Macedonia.

The Dutch have a kind path in the knockout rounds too, facing the Czech Republic next for the chance to play the winner of Wales against Denmark in the quarters. Two last-16 fixtures stand out in particular: England face Germany in a repeat of the 1996 semi-final at Wembley and Portugal meet Belgium in a showdown between two of the outstanding strikers of the tournament in Romelu Lukaku and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Spain v Croatia is another fascinating fixture, with Luka Modric proving a peerless midfielder in their final outing against Scotland, even at 35 years old, and he will be relishing the chance to face many of his La Liga rivals.

Star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday night created another record and now stands just one goal shy from becoming the all-time leading scorer among men in international fixture. The 36-year-old netted twice in Portugal’s 2-2 draw against France in the UEFA Euro 2020 match and now stands on level terms with Iran’s Ali Daei with 109 goals. 

Both the goals from Ronaldo came in the form of penalties.   

Cristiano Ronaldo under pressure is cash money. pic.twitter.com/NKGIAbfmCW

—  (@Madridi7ii) June 23, 2021

Meanwhile, Daei, who held the record till now, reacted to the Portuguese’s achievment and extended his wishes to the Juventus striker. 

Sharing a picture of Ronaldo on Instagram, Daei wrote: “Congratulations to @cristiano who is now one goal away from breaking the men’s international goal scoring record. I am honoured that this remarkable achievement will belong to Ronaldo – great champion of football and caring humanist who inspires and impacts lives throughout the world.” 

Marvellous Ronaldo, who is making his fifth Euro apperance, is also the tournament’s leading scorer, a record which he notched after scoring a brace in Portugal’s 3-0 win over Hungary earlier in the campaign. The Portugal captain then surpassed France legend Michel Platini and now has 12 goals in the continental championship. 

Ronaldo came to Portugal’s aid and sent the defending champions into the last 16 of the Euro 2020 in a frantic conclusion to Group F on Wednesday (June 23).

After playing a 2-2 draw in their final group fixture, Portugal finished on four points in third place and can now prepare for a last-16 clash against Belgium in Seville. 

Cristiano Ronaldo came to Portugal’s rescue with two penalties to cancel out a brace from France’s Karim Benzema in an enthralling 2-2 draw that sent both sides into the Euro 2020 last 16 in a frantic conclusion to Group F on Wednesday (June 23). An anxious night for the reigning European champions saw them occupy every position in the so-called group of death at various junctures but the 36-year-old Ronaldo, so often his country`s saviour, stepped up to reach another career milestone.

He had already become the highest-ever scorer in Euro finals with his double against Hungary in the opening game and his two spot-kick conversions – in the 31st and 60th minutes – took him to 109 international goals, level with the record number scored by Iran’s Ali Daei. Benzema’s first was also from the spot as for the first time in European Championship history three penalties were converted in regular time.

The Frenchman, recalled by manager Didier Deschamps for the tournament after a five-year exile, equalised on the stroke of halftime with his first France goal for five years and 258 days.

He put France ahead two minutes after the interval and with Hungary leading Germany at that point in the other game, Portugal were bottom of Group F and staring at the exit.

But Ronaldo coolly beat Hugo Lloris again from 12 yards and Portugal held on for the draw which means they finished on four points in third place and can now prepare for a last-16 clash against Belgium in Seville. World champions France topped a crazy group with five points and will take on Switzerland in Bucharest.

“It was a fight and it wasn’t easy. We gave them the two goals from mistakes. We tried to win it,” said France manager Didier Deschamps, whose side were in danger of a last-16 clash with England at Wembley when they fell behind. “It means we’re top and that`s the best position.”

The Euro 2020 format has been criticised but there is no doubt that it produced a gripping night in which every conceivable scenario seemed to come into play. Portugal needed only a draw to seal a last-16 spot but after bossing the first half with recalled Renato Sanches and Joao Moutinho commanding in midfield, they lived dangerously.

When the dust settled however, they will be in the business end of the tournament they won in 2016 by beating France. Manager Fernando Santos was impressed with the way his side rebounded after the 4-2 defeat by Germany.

“When I was asked what we had to do that was different from the game against Germany and I said it was to be like ourselves,” he said. “We were strong, consistent, with a great spirit. We can continue to improve.”

Portgual were awarded a penalty in the 27th minute after Hugo Lloris’s attempted punched clearance wiped out Danilo. Lloris was shown a yellow card before Ronaldo smashed the penalty into the corner.

Portugal began to swagger but they were pegged back when referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz deemed that Nelson Semedo had bundled over Kylian Mbappe on the stroke of halftime as he tried to latch on to Paul Pogba’s pass.

Benzema buried the penalty and two minutes after the break he was picked out by the influential Pogba again and the Real Madrid striker slotted the ball past Rui Patricio. But the game’s third penalty, awarded for a handball by Jules Kounde, gave Ronaldo the chance to beat Lloris again from the spot to register his fifth goal of the tournament and he was never going to miss.

Rui Patricio turned a spectacular Pogba effort against the woodwork seven minutes later but Portugal held on and got the added bonus of a late Germany equaliser that means they also avoided a last-16 meeting with England.

Portugal takes on France in the most high-profile match of the ongoing EURO 2020 season on Thursday in the Puskas Arena in Budapest. From Cristiano Ronaldo to Paul Pogba, some of the biggest names in world football will go head to head.

Notably, France will look to avenge the 2016 EURO defeat against Portugal and most of the players who participated in that match will take the field today.

Portugal faced an ignominious defeat at the hands of the Germans in the previous match as they lost by 4-2. France on the other hand was held to a 1-1 draw by Hungary.

While France is on top of Group F with four points, Portugal is tied with Germany with two points. For Portugal, this is a must-win game if they want to make the last 16.

Here are the complete details from the UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France:

When is the UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France?

The UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France will be played on Thursday (June 24).

What time does the UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France start?

The UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France will start at 12:30 am as per IST.
 

Where is the UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France being played?

The UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France will be played at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
 

Which TV channels will broadcast the UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France in India?

The UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France will be telecast on Sony Ten 2 (HD), Sony Ten 3 (HD-Hindi). Sony Six (HD) and Sony Ten 4 (HD) will have regional coverage in India.

How can I livestream the UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France?

The livestreaming of the UEFA Euro 2020 match between Portugal and France is available on the Sony Liv app and the website.

After enduring a tough 4-2 defeat against Germany, defending champions Portugal are on the brink of a first-round exit from the ongoing UEFA Euro 2020. Meanwhile, Spain, who were pooled in a relatively easier Group E consisting Sweden, Slovakia, and Poland, can also face the same fate. 

For the Germans, who bounced back in the competition after opening the campaign with a 1-0 defeat against world champions France, the road looks tough but the commanding win in their previous encounter against the defending champions will definitely aid in lifting their spirits.  

All the three teams will play their respective matches on Wednesday night as per Indian Standard Timings, with Slovakia taking on Spain at 09:30 pm kick-off and the ‘Group of Death’ clashes between Portugal vs France and Germany vs Hungary taking place at 00:30 hours respectively. 

Current equation in Group of Death 

A draw is enough for Germany to see them through to next round. But it would be interesting to see if Joachim Loew decides to field Thomas Mueller, who going by reports is not 100 percent fit.

Meanwhile, the clash between both the sides have been overshadowed by off-field topic after UEFA asked Munich to not light the Allianz Arena in rainbow colours, citing political reasons. This in turn saw a major uproar online and as per a report in news agency AFP, the German city even wanted to stage protest against the law passed by Hungary’s right-wing government, which banned the “promotion” of homosexuality to minors.  

Meanwhile, it will be a testing moment for Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal, who at no cost can lose their tie against France, which will thus lead to their elimination. 

France, who played a 1-1 draw against Hungary in their previous encounter, have already qualified for the next round but will fancy to finish the group stages with a win.

Ronaldo chases big record 

Marvellous Ronaldo, who is making his fifth Euro apperance, is the tournament’s leading scorer, a record which he notched after scoring a brace in Portugal’s 3-0 win over Hungary earlier in the campaign. The Portugal captain then surpassed France legend Michel Platini and now has 12 goals in the continental championship.  

 EURO 2016 = Cristiano Ronaldo became a champion with Portugal 

 EURO 2020 = Who’ll be celebrating today?#EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/6orgO0wpgT

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 23, 2021

The 36-year-old needs two more goals to equal the all-time international scoring record of Iran’s Ali Daei, who has netted the ball 109 times in international fixture. 

Lacklustre Spain seek revival 

Spain have endured a difficult campaign so far and have just managed to etch out draws from both their encounters against Sweden and Poland.

While a win against Slovakia will ensure them a round-of-16 spot, a draw will leave them in a tricky situation. The team can also advance to the next round as a best third-placed team, but if Poland overhaul the already qualified Sweden then it will see them make the knockout cut. Going by Robert Lewandowski’s form, Poland do possess the quality to tumble any opponent in the competition.    

Luis Henrique’s side went into the campaign without veteran campaigner Sergio Ramos, a void which might as well be the reason behind their exit from the tournament.  

Meanwhile, Slovakia will advance to the next round if they return with a point.  

Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous Coca-Cola snub ahead of a UEFA Euro 2020 press-conference has led to reactions not just from footballers, but also people belonging to other sports discipline have joined the bandwagon. 

Such was Ronaldo’s impact, his single gesture saw the beverage company bear losses upto $4 billion. 

Cristiano Ronaldo qui déplace les bouteilles de Coca et qui dit “eau” en montrant aux journalistes  pic.twitter.com/LaDNa95EcG

— Gio CR7 (@ArobaseGiovanny) June 14, 2021

While the Coca-Cola debate may take a while to end, today we take a look back at past instances, when India cricket skipper Virat Kohli and former All England Championship winner Pullela Gopichand refused to endorse the carbonated drinks. 

In an interview with CNN-IBN in 2017, the cricketer had said: “Things that I’ve endorsed in the past, I won’t take names, but something that I feel that I don’t connect to anymore… I won’t urge others to consume it just because I’m getting money out of it.”

“I want to give something to people that I use, myself. One of the reasons, I decided not to sign Pepsi is that I have undergone lifestyle change. And, I am not using that product anymore,” Kohli had said. 

****

Meanwhile, Gopichand, who won the prestigious badminton competiton back in 2001 had also declined from signing a lucrative deal with a beverage company, citing health reasons.

In a report on Times Now, the current coach of the Indian badminton team was quoted as saying: “Since 1997, I have stopped drinking these soft drinks. After seeing the reports, as well as studies on the health hazards of these products, I stopped their consumption. Only my family members and friends were aware of the offer and my decision. I did not want to discuss it further as it was purely a personal decision.” 

The dream union could happen! Arguably the best footballers ever – Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – could play together at Camp Nou, Barcelona as per a report in AS. That is exactly what the newly-elected President of Barcelona Joan Laporta wants. Laporta wants to sign Ronaldo, but for that to happen the finances have to be worked out, as Ronaldo will not come easy.

Meanwhile, speculations about Ronaldo and Messi leaving their respective clubs have been rife since their early exit from the Champions League. While Ronaldo has been linked with Manchester United and PSG, Messi too, has been linked with PSG and Manchester City.

It would be interesting to see what future holds in store for the two modern legends. Also, Messi’s contract at the Camp Nou is actually set to expire at the end of the month and he’s yet to sign a new deal with the club. On the other hand, Ronaldo’s contract with Juventus ends next season.

Currently, both football icons are on national duty. While Ronaldo is featuring in the EURO 2020 for Portugal, Messi is a part of the Argentina side in the ongoing Copa America 2021. Both the players have been in top form and have been contributing to the victory of their respective sides.

Three-times European champions Germany shrugged off their opening game loss and announced their arrival as serious contenders at Euro 2020 with an emphatic 4-2 win over highly-rated Portugal in their Group F match on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo had given the defending champions a 15th-minute lead but Germany went in at the break 2-1 up thanks to own goals from Ruben Dias and Raphael Guerreiro. The Germans turned on the style in the second half with goals from Kai Havertz and the impressive Robin Gosens making it 4-1 before Diogo Jota pulled a goal back for Portugal.

The win moves Germany, who face Hungary in their final game, into second place in the group on three points, a point behind leaders France and level on points with the Portuguese. Hungary drew 1-1 with France earlier on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the result has turned Group F into the group of death as neither of the four teams – France, Germany, Portugal, and Hungary, have qualified for the round of 16 despite playing two games each so far, and fans will now have to wait till the very last game of the group to know which teams make the cut.

With just two games remaining of Group F, let’s take a look at all permutations and combinations which is required by each team to qualify for the knockout round.

Remaining games of Group F: Portugal vs France and Germany vs Hungary

PORTUGAL ( 3 points) will go through if they win, or if they draw against France and Germany lose. Portugal will finish first if they win and Germany do not. Portugal will finish fourth if they lose and Germany also lose.

FRANCE (4 points) will go through if they avoid defeat against Portugal or if the other game is drawn. They will finish first if they win, or if they draw and Germany do not beat Hungary. If France lose and Hungary win, second place will be decided on overall goal difference.

GERMANY (3 points) will go through if they win, or if they draw and France do not lose. Germany will finish first if they win and France do not. Germany will finish third if they draw and France lose, or if both Germany and Portugal lose.

HUNGARY (1 point) will go through in second place if they win against Germany and Portugal lose. If they win and France lose, second place will be decided on overall goal difference. Hungary will finish third if they win and the other game is drawn.

NOTE: If two or more teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the final tournament group stage, the following criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine their rankings:

1. Higher number of points obtained in the matches played among the teams in question
2. Superior goal difference resulting from the matches played among the teams in question
3. Higher number of goals scored in the matches played among the teams in question

Outside chance for the third-placed team

As per the UEFA rule, the top two teams in each group plus the four best third-placed teams advance to the round of 16. Hence, in the event of a Portugal draw and Germany win/draw, the Portuguese would finish in third with four points, but would still likely qualify. The same will be the case for Germany if they lose or draw against Hungary and finish third in the points table.

If third-placed teams are tied on points across different groups, then there are stipulations to decide which team will progress.

In order, this is how the four-best third-placed teams are decided, according to UEFA:

1. Higher number of points
2. Superior goal difference
3. Higher number of goals scored
4. Higher number of wins
5. Lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received in all group matches (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points)
6. Position in the overall European Qualifiers rankings

Meanwhile, both the remaining games of Group F – Germany vs Hungary and Portugal vs France will take place on Thursday at 12:30 am IST.

It seems like Cristiano Ronaldo’s Coca Cola snub at a media conference has caught the imagination of all and sundry with India fielding coach R Sridhar being certainly one among them. 

After the washed out of the first day of the World Test Championship final, Sridhar who addressed the media, showed his lighter side before the start of the interaction. 

Finding a Coca-Cola bottle on the table, India’s fielding coach said in jest: “Do I remove it? What happens to price if I remove it?” 

He was referring to a Ronaldo media interaction where the Portugal captain was seen removing the Coke bottles and urging people to drink water.  

pic.twitter.com/5KgSb9AC1e

— pant shirt fc (@pant_fc) June 18, 2021

A global sporting megastar, Ronaldo’s act had reportedly led to the soft drink major losing around USD 4 billion. 

With rain washing out the entire day and nothing much to do, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin along with physios Nitin Patel and Yogesh Parmar and video-analyst Hari were seen enjoying a game of darts in a video uploaded by BCCI.tv.

Some of the others enjoyed a game of table tennis, according to Sridhar as they killed time on a day when no action was possible.

Asked who keeps the group entertained during this kind of a frustrating day, Sridhar named skipper Virat Kohli, senior spinner Ashwin and flamboyant keeper Rishabh Pant as the three individuals.

“As far as the entertainers are concerned, I think, there are quite a few and well entertainers in the good sense. So there is lot of people who can do mimicry, they crack good jokes.

“I mean Virat Kohli is terrific in taking care and giving us a good laugh, Ash (Ravichandran Ashwin) in his own way and we have Rishabh (Pant) who has got the loudest laughter and he keeps us in good humour whenever we are in a group,” the fielding coach said.

“So we have many who keep us in good humour while we are waiting for the match to start, so that there is no shortage of buzz and laughter in the dressing room while we are awaiting.”  

Star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines when he removed Coca-Cola bottles from the table during his press conference ahead of Portugal’s EURO 2020 opener against Hungary. Ronaldo’s gesture backfired as the beverage manufacturing giants incurred losses. Soon, Ronaldo’s act became the biggest talking point during the ongoing EURO 2020 as players and coaches of other teams – started either emulating CR7’s act or accepting the drink. Seemed like the footballing world got divided into two.

A couple of days back, India captain Virat Kohli, found himself in a similar situation when his pre-WTC final press conference had two more Coke bottles placed right in front of him. But Kohli, who is a big fan of Ronaldo, did not do what the Portuguese icon did and left fans disappointed.
 
Here’s how Twitterati reacted:

Very disappointed that Virat Kohli didn’t remove the Coke bottles from his table and say “paani piyo re” during the presser #WTCFinal pic.twitter.com/sqNWlga8ES

— Sohil Nikam (@sohilnikam) June 17, 2021

Kohli is a fake Ronaldo fanboy because he still hasn’t moved those coke bottles infront of him.

—  (@ThatGuyJSR) June 17, 2021

 

Coke update from the World Test Championship

Williamson and Kohli both leave their bottles in place. That’s about as exciting as the pre-match pressers have got.

— Rory Dollard (@thervd) June 17, 2021

 

Completely unrelated but what if tomorrow Kohli comes and moves those coke bottles away #WTC21 #INDvNZ https://t.co/VOuulKBALl

— Kartik O [?] (@KOCricket528) June 16, 2021

Eyes would be on Kohli as he is the premier batsman of the side. The Indian skipper has not smashed a century since 2019 and he is surely due for a big one.

Meanwhile, not a single ball was bowled on the opening day of the inaugural WTC final at Ageas Bowl, Southampton on Friday as rain played spoilsport. The forecast for the rest of the days is of rain which would not be a piece of good news for fans.

Chennai: The act of Cristiano Ronaldo moving coke bottles from the table during UEFA EURO 2020 conference may or may have affected the beverage company’s brand value, but, his venture earned him more veritable followers on social media.

Despite being a Coca Cola endorser in the past, Cristiano Ronaldo snubbed the brand in the recent event.

However, Ronaldo’s action will not be counted in a trend setting list as India had seen this sort of venture earlier. Tamil superstar Ilayathalapathi Vijay had done something similar in his movie Kaththi released in 2014.

Vijay had been a brand ambassador of Cola company from 2000 to 2003 in Tamil Nadu. 

Depicting similar event, Vijay as Jeeva in A.R. Murugadoss movie, went in defiance of Coca Cola scathing the beverage brand and putting fans on unrest. Though later, Vijay who never responds to any chaotic news -for the first time he spoke and cleared the air that he doesn’t endorse Coca Cola anymore.

Apparently, these stars, never showed their good will gestures post their dissociation with the brand.

Cristiano Ronaldo continues to rule the online world as he became the first person to reach 300 million followers on popular social medial platform Instagram. The Portuguese footballer, who’s gesture ahead of a Euro 2020 press-conference brought a significant dip in Coca Cola’s stock value, also was the first person to breach the 200-million mark on the same platform. 

The 36-year-old, who plays for Serie A club Juventus is currently performing the national duties for Portugal in the ongoing UEFA Euro 2020. He has so far had a pleasent season and kicked-off the campaign with a brace against Hungary in Portugal’s tournament opener. 

Wrestler-turned actor Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a ‘The Rock’, stands second on the list but is miles away from the footballer. ‘The People’s Champ’ currently has 246 million followers on Instagram. 

WATCH | Cristiano Ronaldo old Coca-Cola ad resurfaces, netizens call striker a ‘hypocrite’ 

Meanwhile, Ronaldo is also the highest earning celebrity among all and as per multiple news reports, the 36-year-old made $50.3 million in the period from March 2019 to March 2020.

Apart from the fancy pay-check, Ronaldo withdraws from Juventus, the footballer has lucrative contracts with sports giants Nike and other top brands.

Ronaldo also owns his own sporting fashion brand CR7. 

Munich: As Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines this past week for moving two bottles of Coca-Cola during a press conference, he is in news again. This time for being the first person on the planet to have 300 Million followers on Instagram. It has been reported that From March 2019 to March 2020 Ronaldo earned more than 50 million dollars just through his Instagram. 

Ronaldo, who is currently with the Portuguese national team is set to play their big match against Germany on Saturday. Before the match, CR7 fans will savour this news. Ronaldo started using Instagram in October 2012. Heis followed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson with 246 Million Followers. 

Also Read | Over $ 4bn Fizzled Out From Coca-Cola’s Market Value; Know Why Ronaldo Abhors Aerated Drinks

Both of them are further followed by Ariana Grande, Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomes, Kim Kardashian and the list goes on. 

Cristiano Ronaldo reaching 300 Million followers hasn’t surprised anyone as the Portuguese along with being a footballer, holds a good amount of brand value as well. That’s the reason, a small gesture of Ronaldo’s during a press conference has costed Coca-Cola more than 4 billion dollars. 

Cristiano Ronaldo began his football career at Porto. From Porto, he was spotted by Manchester United legend, Sir Alex Ferguson. CR7 then played 6 years at United before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009-10. He plays for the Italian club Juventus. 

Recently, after scoring two goals for Portugal, Ronaldo became the highest goal scorer in the history of the Euro Cup. How far will Portugal and Ronaldo fare this season? Wil Ronaldo win his second EURO? 

Portugal Vs Germany match begins at 9:30 pm on Saturday. 

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines ahead of his team’s UEFA Euro 2020 opener against Hungary when he decided to place Coca-Cola bottles aside at the press conference. Ronaldo’s act hurt the brand as they incurred losses to the tune of $4 billion.

The biggest talking point of the UEFA Euro 2020 took an interesting turn when Russian coach Stanislav Cherchesov decided to take a sip of Coca-Cola after the 1-0 win over Finland in a Group B fixture.

The Russian coach after the win picked up the bottle that was kept in front of him and took a few sips of the fizzy drink and also toasted it with Aleksei Miranchuk.

Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov is not one to conform

(Via @OptusSport) pic.twitter.com/pPm8aIPApd

— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) June 17, 2021

Meanwhile, Ronaldo found some support when Italy’s man-of-the-match Manuel Locatelli and French superstar Paul Pogba joined the ‘Remove the Bottle’ club after they too moved their coke bottles during the presser.

Ronaldo, who is known to be very particular about his health, had expressed his displeasure during the Global Soccer Awards last year when he revealed that he scolds his son often if he has Coke.

Bollywood star Amrita Rao has also reacted to the Coca-Cola debate with her reaction to popular meme from her ‘Vivaah’ with Shahid Kapoor. The actress has reacted to the viral meme featuring her and Ronaldo and came up with a pun. “Wat’er Are U Saying,” she wrote reacting to the meme shared by a Twitter user.

Earlier, a report in The Daily Star suggested that Ronaldo’s act resulted in Coca-Cola’s share price falling by 1.6% as it went from being worth USD 242 billion to USD 238 billion, which is a loss of $4 billion (INR 29,000 Crore).

One of the biggest talking points of the ongoing UEFA Euro 2020 has been Cristiano Ronaldo’s action of keeping Coca-Cola bottles aside during a news conference and encourage people to drink water instead. Ronaldo’s actions have inspired other footballers liker Paul Pogba and Manuel Locatelli to do the same.

One of the fittest athletes in the world, Portugal striker Ronaldo’s simple gesture to promote a healthy habit ended up costing Coca-Cola big time. The soft drinks giants saw a dip in their shares as a staggering $4 billion was wiped off the brand’s net value after Ronaldo’s snub.

The video of the incident went viral on social media with fans transforming Ronaldo’s visuals into hilarious memes. One of the memes going viral in India is the ‘Jal lijiye’ meme inspired by a scene from the Bollywood movie ‘Vivah’ starring Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao.

The actress has reacted to the viral meme featuring her and Ronaldo and came up with a pun. “Wat’er Are U Saying,” she wrote reacting to the meme shared by a Twitter user.

Wat’er Are U Saying !!! https://t.co/DAs984Ayj2

— AMRITA RAO (@AmritaRao) June 16, 2021

After Ronaldo, Italian midfielder Manuel Locatelli repeated the Portugal legend’s gesture in the post-match press conference after producing a Man-of-the-Match performance in the side’s clash against Switzerland on Wednesday. Locatelli, who scored two goals in the game, removed the Coca-Cola bottlers kept on the table and put water bottles in front to repeat Ronaldo’s gesture.

UEFA have now reminded the footballers about their sponsor commitments during the tournament. Football’s European governing body have warned that they might punish footballers if they continue to remove sponsor items during press conferences.

“UEFA has reminded participating teams that partnerships are integral to the delivery of the tournament and to ensuring the development of football across Europe, including for youth and women,” the tournament organisers said on Thursday.

European football’s governing body UEFA has responded to Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo`s removal of a Coca-Cola bottle at a Euro 2020 news conference by telling teams they have contractual obligations towards tournament sponsors. Ronaldo moved Coca-Cola bottles aside as he sat down to speak to the media on the eve of Tuesday’s Group F opener against Hungary in Budapest, which Portugal won 3-0.

The 36-year-old then held up a bottle of water and said ‘Agua’ in Portuguese, making headlines. A day later, France midfielder Paul Pogba, who is a Muslim, removed a Heineken beer bottle from in front of him after France’s 1-0 victory over Germany.

Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli also moved Coca-Cola bottles aside and placed a bottle of water in front of him before speaking to the press after his Man of the Match display in a 3-0 win against Switzerland on Wednesday.

“UEFA has reminded participating teams that partnerships are integral to the delivery of the tournament and to ensuring the development of football across Europe, including for youth and women,” the tournament organisers said on Thursday (June 17).

UEFA’s Euro 2020 tournament director Martin Kallen said the main issue had been with Ronaldo’s action but there was an understanding of players who did such things for religious reasons.

Cristiano Ronaldo was angry because they put Coca Cola in front of him at the Portugal press conference, instead of water!

He moved them and said “Drink water” pic.twitter.com/U1aJg9PcXq

— FutbolBible (@FutbolBible) June 14, 2021

“If it is for religious reasons, they don’t need to have a bottle there,” said Kallen. He told reporters the contractual obligations regarding sponsors was part of the tournament regulations signed up to by the national federations.

UEFA has not taken any disciplinary action over the incidents and Kallen said any sanctions would be a matter for federations. UEFA would not directly fine players, he added. “We are never fining a player directly from the UEFA side, we do this always through the participating national association and they can look if they go further,” said Kallen.

The UEFA official did not however rule out punishments if there are further cases. “We have regulations signed by the participating federations. We have reminded them of their obligations but of course this (fining) is always a possibility,” he said.

(with Reuters inputs)