Cristiano Ronaldo wipes billions off Coca-Cola shares after removing bottles from press conference table

Cristiano Ronaldo illustrates his star power after removing two Coke bottles at press conference.

Ronaldo’s press conference stunt costs Coca-Cola $5.2 billion.

Cristiano Ronaldo has illustrated just how much star power he has, wiping billions off the value of Coca-Cola with one simple move.

At a pre-match press conference for the UEFA Euro 2020 the Portuguese football legend spied two Coke bottles on the table in front of him. In a gesture that has since reverberated around the world, the Juventus forward moved the bottles to one side and held up a bottle of water, telling viewers and fans: “Drink water.”

Coca-Cola’s share price immediately plummeted from AUD$73.02 to $71.85 — a 1.6 per cent dip, or a total of $5.2 billion.

It wasn’t only viewers who listened.

Ronaldo removes the Coke bottles and holds up a bottle of water.

Later the same day, France international Paul Pogba appeared to follow Ronaldo’s lead, removing a bottle of Heineken during his press conference after France’s 1-0 win against Germany.

But while Pogba, a strict Muslim, left his Coke bottles on the table, the damage to the company by Ronado’s move had been done.

A Coca-Cola spokesman said in a statement: “Everyone is entitled to their drink preferences”.

“Players are offered water, alongside Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, on arrival at our press conferences,” the spokesperson said, adding that people have different “tastes and needs”.

Ronaldo, 36, has a famously healthy diet, but used to drink soft drinks for breakfast, the Sun reports.

Ryan Giggs told the paper he once had a heated row with his then Man United teammate over the issue.

Giggs denied pinning Ronaldo against the wall in anger but admitted: “I might have told him, ‘We don’t do this’ and then he went and scored a hat-trick! ‘I drink what I want, Giggsy!’” he said.

After the press conference Ronaldo went onto the field in Budapest to become the all-time top scorer in the history of the European Championship with a late penalty in Portugal’s opening Euro 2020 game against Hungary.

Coca-Cola’s shares, meanwhile, recovered slightly to $72.06 per share.