Euro 2020: Officials WON’T place bottles of Heineken in front of Muslim players after Pogba’s stance

Euro 2020 organisers will stop placing bottles of alcohol-free Heineken in front of Muslin 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. 

Now, UEFA officials have confirmed that players and managers will have a choice to object to speaking behind the bottles of alcohol-free beer on religious grounds

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 one 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, France striker Karim Benzema – who is also Muslim – 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 individual trophy sponsored by Heineken. 

Pogba’s move comes after Cristiano Ronaldo removed bottles of coke at his press conference 

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. 

Pogba, meanwhile, became a Muslim in 2019, according to the Manchester Evening News, 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.

Pogba became a Muslim in 2019 and has travelled to Mecca, Islam’s holiest place of pilgrimage

Pogba has so far played a starring role for France at the Euros, starting all three matches 

‘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.