Cristiano Ronaldo Could be Punished for ‘Illegal’ Actions at Euro 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo faces accusations of ‘ambush marketing’ following the sharing of his heart rate data on social media during Portugal’s intense penalty shootout victory over Slovenia in the Round of 16 fixture at EURO 2024.

This illegal practice involves a company trying to link their products or services with an event that already has official sponsors. A notable other instance occurred during EURO 2012 when Nicklas Bendtner lifted his shirt during a goal celebration to reveal Paddy Power branded underpants.

The Dane was fined £80,000 and banned for one competitive international fixture by the governing body, and a similar fate could be heading towards Ronaldo. The Portugal icon has already sparked widespread criticism after his visible distress following his penalty miss in extra-time led some onlookers, including Ruud Gullit, to accuse the 39-year-old of crocodile tears before stepping up to score his nation’s first 12-yard attempt when the lottery of a shootout arose.

Ambush Marketing Incident

A spotlight has been shone on Ronaldo’s collaboration with the fitness company WHOOP

WHOOP, who design wearable devices that track a range of measures including your heart rate, athletic performance, and sleep score, are also under cosh following the controversy, with both the company and player in question subject to potential fines and even a suspension.

According to Ricardo Fort – the former head of global sponsorships at Visa and Coca-Cola – the post was a clear example of ambush marketing and should be met with a fine for both player and company.

“This chart has been circulating today,” He wrote on X. “Cristiano and WHOOP is ambush marketing to Euro 2024. It is illegal and both the player and the company should be fined.”

Responding to comments from users on the platform, he added: “The post is about a UEFA matches, uses the names of the two national teams playing, score, and a player on the field. They are implying an association with the event and that is illegal. Not having ‘a competitor as a sponsor’ isn’t a reason to tolerate infringements.” Fort went on to claim that had the data been collected during a home workout, in his view, no issue would have arisen.

Cristiano Ronaldo At EURO 2024

The former Real Madrid man’s summer could be set to go from bad to worse

Although Ronaldo holds the record for most finals appearances, most goals, most minutes, and most appearances in the Team of the Tournament at European Championships, he is yet to leave an indellible mark on this summer’s edition, with Portugal often finding more joy through the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.

Should a ban come to fruition, it could spell the end of the veteran’s time at EURO 2024, and with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson recently claiming he can’t see him making the Portugal squad for the 2026 World Cup, an ambush marketing ban could see Ronaldo’s international career come to a whimpering anti-climax.

Next up for Portugal is a quarter-final meeting with tournament favourites France on Friday night in a repeat of the 2016 final that Ronaldo won. After crawling over the finish line against Slovenia in the Round of 16, it will be interesting to see how Roberto Martinez’s side can respond to close scathes with elimination, especially if Ronaldo does fall victim to a suspension.