UEFA asks players at Euros to stop removing sponsor drinks

Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba, and Manuel Locatelli all removed sponsor bottles out from the view of cameras when taking their seats at news conferences this week; Euro 2020 tournament director says players with religious objections ‘don’t need to have a bottle there’

The European Footballing body (UEFA) has implored players to stop taking off sponsor drinks at the Euro 2020 news conferences after Cristiano Ronaldo started the movement this week.

Ronaldo, Paul Pogba, and Manuel Locatelli all removed sponsor bottles away from the view of cameras when taking their seats at news conferences this week.

Euro 2020 tournament director Martin Kallen said UEFA has “communicated with the teams regarding this matter”.

“It is important because the revenues of the sponsors are important for the tournament and European football,” Kallen said in a briefing.

Pogba, who is a Muslim and does not drink alcohol, disapproved the distinctive green bottle of official Euro 2020 beer sponsor Heineken. The beer is marketed as 0.0 percent alcohol.

Kallen said tournament rules expect obedience with UEFA’s promises to sponsors, though players with religious disapproval “don’t need to have a bottle there”.