A new study links short-form news video consumption to soccer star preferences. Audience political identity and platform choice both play a role. The findings raise questions for publishers targeting younger viewers.
Media professionals tracking audience behavior have new evidence that the format and platform of news distribution can influence cultural preferences-even in global sports debates. A recent study surveying over 10,000 adults across 26 countries found that people who frequently consume short-form news videos are more likely to prefer Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi. The research also revealed that political identity is a strong predictor: self-identified liberals tend to favor Messi, while conservatives lean toward Ronaldo.
Lead author Saifuddin Ahmed, along with Kokil Jaidka, Muhammad Ehab Rasul, and Teresa Gil-López, emphasized that the findings go beyond soccer fandom. According to Ahmed, the study highlights how different news environments-especially algorithm-driven feeds on platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok-shape audience preferences over time, regardless of the specific content. Traditional news media consumption, by contrast, did not significantly predict a preference for either player.
The study’s viral spread on short-form video platforms further illustrated its point. Ahmed noted that the very platforms most associated with Ronaldo preference became the main channels for sharing the research, with millions of views on Instagram Reels and TikTok. This phenomenon echoes how algorithmic feeds can amplify certain cultural signals, a dynamic also seen in large-scale influencer campaigns such as Unilever’s World Cup creator push.
For publishers and journalists, the research suggests that platform strategy should consider not just reach but the type of preference environment created around news content. Ahmed argued that the algorithmic bundling of political, cultural, and celebrity content in undifferentiated feeds is a mechanism traditional media does not replicate. This distinction may affect how audiences form opinions and preferences, especially among younger users who are most active on short-form platforms.
The study also found that demographic factors such as age, gender, education, income, and social class did not significantly predict Messi or Ronaldo preference once political identity and media consumption were accounted for. Ahmed suggested this challenges the common reliance on demographic segmentation in both journalism and social science, pointing instead to the importance of political values and media habits.
Finally, the researchers observed that the link between political identity and player preference is strongest among younger respondents and diminishes with age. This generational effect, combined with the dominance of short-form video among younger audiences, may reinforce the alignment of cultural tastes with political identity. Ahmed cautioned that while the study cannot determine causality, the direction is clear enough to prompt urgent reflection among news organizations about their relationship with younger audiences and the platforms they use.
The study also noted that media and political identity can influence not just beliefs or knowledge, but subtler aspects like taste and admiration for public figures. These influences may be harder to detect and address than overt misinformation or partisan framing, as they often feel like personal preference rather than external influence.
