But unless you experiment, you will never know if an off-putting pairing is actually weird or a mind-blowing combination that can elevate your dining experience. Much like us, football maestro Lionel Messi also experiments with foods. He likes to pair his preferred alcoholic beverage with a carbonated drink - wine and Sprite.
Lionel Messi Prefers To Drink Wine With Sprite For This Reason
Amid the buzz around Lionel Messi's participation in the upcoming World Cup, the footballer opened up about his unusual drinking habits.
While speaking to Luzu TV, the Argentinian sports star said, "I like wine, but if not, I have my usual: wine with Sprite. So it hits fast, haha!"
Explaining why he likes the unusual combo, he said that it helps him relax in the Miami sun. He also joked about preferring to spend some time alone, away from the spotlight and chaos at home.
"I am weirder than s**t... I really like being alone. The mess at home with the three kids running around everywhere ends up saturating me, and I like a moment of solitude," he added.
He also said that he usually plans his days, and if something happens in the middle, it changes everything for him. He even joked that people should talk to his wife, Antonella, about this.
Lionel Messi's 'Wine-Sprite' Drink Reveal Led A Surge In Coca-Cola Shares
Lionel Messi casually said something, and it affected the US stock market. How? The interview in which the footballer mentioned that he drinks wine and Sprite came out on January 7, 2026, and since then, the shares of Coca-Cola have witnessed a surge of 5%. According to Day Trading, a platform where you can get your scoop around crypto, stocks, and tech, reported that this small rise in shares translates to $12.9 billion in the market value of the brand.
Since Messi mentioned the drink in a positive way, it quickly generated positive attention for the brand. Not to mention Messi's fans, who instantly went to the nearby grocery store just to purchase Sprite and try it with wine.
This is not the first time that a casual mention by a sportsman has affected the shares of a company. In fact, Cristiano Ronaldo publicly snubbed Coca-Cola's product at a Euro 2020 press conference in June 2021. It reportedly tanked the shares of the company, leading to a drop of $4 billion in their market value.
