UPDATED: 29 of the 102 FIFA World Cup player of the match awards have been made without beer branding, including awards to two prominent non-Muslim players, three to Kylian Mbappé and one to Virgil van Dijk.
The 26 players opting for an award without alcohol received it front of a backdrop saying Superior Player of the Match, rather than one emblazoned with the Michelob Ultra brand. It is likely that Mbappé and van Dijk cited Christian beliefs.
FIFA told Alcohol Review in a statement the unbranded award is “respect religious considerations”, adding that format is also used for players under legal drinking age. But there is no route for players wanting to opt out of alcohol promotion for secular reasons.
Limiting freedoms to certain religious groups or belief systems is “an affront to human dignity and a disavowal of the principles of the Charter of the UN”, the UN says. ■