Messi or Ronaldo? Your political ideology may play a part
A study by NTU Singapore and the University of Liverpool found that people's preference for football stars Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo may be influenced by their political ideology, with those leaning left more likely to prefer Messi and those leaning right favouring Ronaldo.
Background
- Researchers at NTU Singapore and the University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt found a link between political ideology and football fandom: people with left-leaning, egalitarian views tend to prefer Lionel Messi, while those with right-leaning, hierarchical views lean toward Cristiano Ronaldo.
- The study posits that Messi’s perceived modesty, teamwork, and natural talent resonate with egalitarian values, whereas Ronaldo’s self-made, competitive, hard-work image aligns with hierarchical values that emphasise individual achievement and social order.
- This is part of a broader field of research showing how political biases unconsciously shape preferences for everything from art and music to athletes and entertainment. The effect held even after controlling for age, gender, income, and how much participants followed football.