Liberals like Messi but authoritarians prefer Ronaldo: how politics shapes sporting choices | Sean Ingle

Research suggests that political outlook may increasingly shape people’s sporting preferences, challenging sport’s reputation as a shared space across political divides. A survey spanning 26 countries found that people with more liberal views were more likely to prefer Lionel Messi, while those more approving of authoritarian leadership were more likely to favour Cristiano Ronaldo.

The survey questioned more than 10,000 people and found no significant link between their choice and age, gender, education, social class or interest in politics. Ronaldo had the strongest support in Indonesia, Turkey, Mexico and Egypt, while Messi was most popular in South Korea and Argentina. Separate US research found traditional sports including American football and baseball were more popular in areas that backed Donald Trump in 2020, while soccer, tennis and figure skating were more popular in areas that favoured Joe Biden.