A new international study says football fans’ favorite player may reveal something about their politics. Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore surveyed 10,661 people in 26 countries about whether they preferred Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, and about their political views.
The results showed a consistent pattern: people who favored Messi were more likely to identify as liberal, while Ronaldo supporters were more likely to identify as conservative. Across all countries, liberals tended to choose Messi and conservatives tended to choose Ronaldo. The effect was especially strong among younger respondents, and became much weaker with age.
Lead researcher Dr. Saifuddin Ahmed said the two stars project very different public images. Messi, he said, is generally associated with a quieter, more team-oriented persona, while Ronaldo is known for openly expressing ambition and celebrating individual achievement. Ahmed added that people may be drawn to a player whose public image matches their broader values.
The study also found links between player preference, self-confidence, and media habits. Respondents who reported higher self-confidence and who got more news through TikTok and Instagram were more likely to prefer Ronaldo, possibly because of his strong social media presence. The researchers said they will continue examining these connections further. In the country-by-country breakdown, Ronaldo was the favorite in 11 countries, Messi in 8, and there was no clear preference in 7.
