A new blog from guest writer and sports communications expert Aaron Gales.
Another game and another series of records broken by Cristiano Ronaldo. Two goals for Portugal in their 3-0 victory in their opening Euro 2020 game against Hungary saw Ronaldo become the first player to play in five consecutive European Championships and break the competition’s all-time scoring record, one he had previously shared with Michel Platini.
All at the ripe old age of 36.
Ronaldo during a FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier between Portugal and Azerbaijan.
Ronaldo’s late show, which saw his team finally break the resistance of a stubborn Hungarian side, will see the five-time Ballon D’or winner making headlines for his performances on the pitch. However, earlier in the day he found himself in the news around the world for removing two bottles of Coca Cola which had been positioned in front of him for his press conference ahead of the game.
Ronaldo is widely considered one of the best, if not the greatest player of all time. His remarkable achievements are matched by few players and his level of performance at the age of 36 defies any reasonable expectation of what a footballer should be producing in the latter stage of his career.
Evidence shows that the ageing process begins to induce a decline in male physical ability around the early 30’s. Naturally occurring declines in metabolic, cardiovascular and hormonal systems form the precursors for performance decrements (Borgest et al, 2015). These genetic factors cannot be escaped. And while, in well-trained populations, the performance effects often do not become significant until individuals reach their early 40’s, within the margins of elite sport any decline can become evident very quickly.
Whilst endurance capacity has been shown to stand up well via training in athletes in their 30’s, the ability to produce power can be significantly impacted due to the decrease in speed of muscle contraction (Kostka 2005). As players increasingly rely on power to produce repeated explosive sprints and turns, any drop in this key component would surely impact performance.
Ronaldo is seemingly an exception to the rule but these achievements are no accident. The Portuguese superstar, who perhaps divides opinion more than any player in the modern game, lives a monk like existence focused entirely on producing optimum levels of performance for club and country. A self-confessed desire to play until the age of 41 sees Ronaldo train religiously, eat six well-balanced meals a day and get plenty of sleep to enable his body to recover.
His continued high level of performance have seen him earn the right to speak out with Ronaldo hailed by many obesity campaigners for his stance against one of Euro 2020’s key commercial partners. It is not the first time he has spoken out on such issues, previously confessing to irritation when he sees his oldest son consuming fizzy drinks. Ronaldo has also been tee-total throughout his life, so affected was he by the impact alcohol had on the life of his father.
As far as Coca Cola is concerned in this case any publicity is probably good publicity. They issued a fairly terse response to Ronaldo’s actions simply saying that ‘everyone is entitled to their drinks preferences.’
From a sponsor activation point of view though the powers that be at Coca Cola will probably be quietly celebrating knowing full well that they are receiving far more coverage than two strategically placed bottles at a press conference would have ever achieved.
They could also have pointed out, though they chose not to, that they have made huge strides in reducing the sugar contents in their drinks, recognising that their products can be a contributing factor to obesity.
However, looking at the argument from a sporting perspective do Coca Cola have a right to feel hard done by? The evidence would suggest they do.
From a hydration point of view, water offers a better solution than coke. However elite athletes often need more than just hydration, particularly during or after long periods of physical exertion.
From a high-performance perspective, Coca Cola has a strong argument in their favour and cycling is one such sport where the drink has been, and remains, popular with riders. While Coke and other soft drinks aren’t considered generally good for children or the general population, for high-performance athletes, in certain circumstances, it can be just the thing they need.
As drinks go it is clearly high in calories due to its sugar content. The fact it’s acidic and carbonated can also inevitably lead to upset stomachs if used just before or during exercise. However, research conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis came out highly in favour of the performance benefits of the fizzy drink.
While it took longer to empty from the stomach and caused mild wind, the results highlighted that riders didn’t feel discomfort. More encouragingly the fluid improved the riders’ power outputs at the end of their two-hour rides by 8%.
Perhaps the biggest thing going for it though is simply taste. Anyone taking part in sport whether that be Cristiano Ronaldo or a keen amateur running a marathon knows that fuelling is vital to maintaining performance. There are all sorts of nutrition products on the market that provide what the body needs. However, the taste of many of them leaves a great deal to be desired.
If you just need a quick and effective energy hit then a nice tasting Coke can be a great choice. I think that’s what Ronaldo missed. Nobody is suggesting that drinking Coca Cola for breakfast, lunch and dinner is good for you. I don’t think the Chief Executive of Coca Cola would recommend that either. However just because one thing works for Ronaldo doesn’t mean he is right to eschew the potential benefits of Coca Cola.
There is clearly a time and a place for using such products, particularly in elite sport. Perhaps if Ronaldo leads his team to a successful defence of the title they won in 2016 he could have a nice cold glass of Coca Cola to celebrate.