Euro 2020: Officials Won’t Place Bottles Of Heineken In Front Of Muslim Players

Euro 2020 organisers will stop placing bottles of alcohol-free Heineken in front of Muslim players after Paul Pogba removed the tournament sponsor’s drink last week.

The France and Manchester United star Pogba, who is a devout Muslim, took a bottle out of view as he conducted his post-match press conference following France’s 1-0 win against Germany last Tuesday

Now teams, managers and players are being asked beforehand whether they would object to having the bottles of Heineken 0.0 on the podium on religious grounds, as revealed by The Telegraph.

Pogba’s stance last week followed Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo removing bottles of Coca-Cola before his side’s opening game against Hungary.

The world superstar seemed annoyed at the presence of the fizzy drink in shot and put them to side, before shouting ‘Drink Water!’ to the camera.

He then brandished a water bottle and placed it in front of himself for the remainder of the interview, muttering ‘Coca-Cola’ with noticeable disdain.

Notably, Muslim and France striker Karim Benzema did not have bottles of Heineken in front of him when speaking to the press yesterday after winning the Star of the Match award – which is sponsored by Heineken – against Portugal.

Yet the Real Madrid man still spoke in front of advertising hoardings with the sponsor’s name on, as well as the trophy sponsored by Heineken.

UEFA warned players that they could be fined if they continued to shun sponsors and their drinks at press conferences, in what has been a running sideshow of the European Championships so far.

Despite the new rules, Europe’s governing body has made it clear that there is a difference between removing alcoholic drinks on religious grounds and shunning fizzy drinks due to personal approaches to health and fitness.

Ronaldo, one of the greatest footballers to have ever played the game, is notoriously fastidious about his diet and exercise regime.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Pogba became a Muslim in 2019, describing the decision as making him more ‘peaceful inside’.

‘It’s everything. That’s what makes me thankful for everything,’ Pogba told the Times via MEN of his decision to embrace Islam.

‘It made me change, realise things in life. I guess, maybe, it makes me more peaceful inside.

‘It was a good change in my life because I wasn’t born a Muslim, even if my mum was. I just grew up like that, respect for everyone.

‘Islam is not the image that everyone sees – terrorism… What we hear in the media is really something else, it’s something beautiful.

‘You get to know it. Anybody can find that he feels connected with Islam. It came because I have a lot of friends who are Muslim. We always talk

‘I was questioning myself in a lot of things, then I started doing my own research. I prayed once with my friends and I felt something different. I felt really good.’

Pogba has also visited Mecca, Islam’s place of pilgrimage, with fellow countryman and Chelsea star Kurt Zouma, posting on Instagram: ‘Never forget the important things in life.’

World Cup winner Pogba has played a starring role for France so far at the Euros as they finished top of Group F – they will face Switzerland in the round-of-16 on Monday.