Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? According to Singaporean scientists, the answer is not only related to sports preferences, but also to political opinions. Messi is preferred by people with more liberal views, while conservatives more often prefer Ronaldo.
Researchers from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore surveyed 10,661 people in 26 countries to find out which of a pair of footballers they prefer and what their political beliefs are. The results showed that people who consider themselves more liberal are more likely to prefer Messi. On the contrary, respondents with a more conservative mindset voted for Ronaldo more often.
“Messi and Ronaldo create vastly different public images. Messi tends to be associated with a quieter and team-oriented approach, while Ronaldo is known for openly expressing his ambitions and celebrating individual achievements. People may be more attracted to a player whose public image aligns with their broader values.” believes the head of the research Saifuddin Ahmed.
Of the 26 countries monitored, Ronaldo received more votes in 11 states, while Messi in eight. In the other seven countries, no statistically significant preference was shown between the two players. According to the authors of the study, the connection between a favorite football player and political opinions is strongest among younger people and significantly weakens with increasing age.
At the same time, the researchers also noted other interesting connections. Respondents who more often obtained information from the TikTok and Instagram platforms more often preferred Ronaldo. According to scientists, this may be related to his significant presence on these social networks. The study also found that people with higher self-esteem were more likely to vote for the Portuguese soccer star.
