Like Cristiano and LeBron: a surprise move from Mbappe before the Inter match
An incident that stole the spotlight
France's Kylian Mbappé, the Real Madrid striker, surprised those in attendance during the press conference that preceded the clash with Inter in the UEFA Champions League, with a gesture that brought to mind famous moments involving big stars, chief among them Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James.
According to the newspaper Marca, Mbappé pushed away a bottle of a sports drink that had been placed in front of him during the press conference in Valdebebas. He then left the water bottle in its place in front of the camera lenses.
This wasn't the first time he had taken such a stance. Mbappé has long followed a clear policy on the products he appears next to, especially alcoholic drinks, fast food and beverages he has no wish to promote.
A moment that recalled Cristiano's gesture
The gesture brought to mind Cristiano Ronaldo's famous moment during Euro 2020, which was held in 2021.
The Portugal captain moved two bottles of a fizzy drink away from him during a press conference, then raised a bottle of water and said: "Water yes, this no."
That moment spread around the world. It became a clear example of the power football stars hold over the commercial image of tournaments and their sponsors.
LeBron came before everyone
Ronaldo didn't invent the phenomenon of shifting sponsor products away from the press conference table. Its roots go back to the world of basketball, specifically to American star LeBron James.
During the American basketball league finals in 2014, LeBron suffered severe muscle cramps against the San Antonio Spurs. The league's sponsor company waded in with a tweet that sparked wide controversy, saying: "We were ready, but the player who suffered the cramps does not consume our product."
Ever since, LeBron's name has been tied to repeated instances where he made a point of hiding or removing the company's logo from the bottles in front of him during press conferences, given his links to a rival brand.
He wasn't alone. Other basketball stars such as Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson had taken similar stances towards sponsor products.
Mbappé and protecting his image
According to Marca, Mbappé's gesture stems from his fierce concern for his image rights and the products he is commercially associated with.
The French striker had already drawn attention during the 2022 World Cup, when he avoided appearing clearly with the logo of the official sponsor of the man of the match award. His policy keeps his image away from alcoholic drinks, betting and certain food products and fast food.
Read also: Mbappé: I am the best in the world, and I score more than Raphinha and Dembélé
