These are the famous athletes who have supported presidential candidates

From Ronaldinho to LeBron James, and from Jair Bolsonaro to Donald Trump. These are the cases of athletes and politicians who have linked for the same purpose

After the recent triumph of Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, and the support received by the right-wing candidate of several important footballers and soccer players, in LatinAmerican Post we reviewed the best-known cases of athletes who decided to publicly follow a presidential candidate in their country.

Leer en español: ¿Sabes cuáles son los deportistas que apoyaron candidatos presidenciales?

Brazil Case

The controversial Bolsonaro had the support of figures like Ronaldinho, a kind of campaign flag, as well as the world champions in Korea and Japan 2002: Rivaldo and Cafu, but the no less important Kaka, Felipe Melo, and Lucas Moura, some of them criticized for identifying with the already elected president.

In the other hand, his opponent, Fernando Haddad, was not far behind and was supported by former players Rai (world champion in the United States 94 ') and Juninho Pernambucano.

BBC Mundo reviews in a complete report, the support of the mentioned athletes to Bolsonaro and Haddad. The most influential for marketing and for his actions was Ronaldinho, who in the first round of the elections posted a content in which he appeared with the shirt of the 'Canarinha' and the number 17 on the back, a figure that identified the campaign of the Former military

In the same post, Ronaldinho added the following message: "For a better Brazil, I want peace, security, and someone to give us back our happiness, I chose to live in Brazil and I want a better Brazil for everyone". It was a gigantic trampoline for Bolsonaro because the footballer has 38 million followers on Instagram, 34 on Facebook and 18 million on Twitter.

Rivaldo, for example, did not hide his pride in being Brazilian and compared Bolsonaro's triumph in the first round with the one he won in 2002, while Cafú said publicly that he gave his vote to the former right-wing candidate.

The general comment of the Brazilian society not aligned with Bolsonaro, adds BBC Mundo, was that these athletes forgot their humble past because their lives are already well off and now they prefer to support a candidate who moves away from the lower classes.

Haddad also counted on the support of former footballers, the two most prominent were Raí, brother of the legendary Socrates (figure in Spain 82 'and Juninho Pernambucano, ex Paris Saint Germain). The latter showed his support by criticizing his colleagues pro Bolsonaro.

"I get upset when I see a player or ex-player supporting the right, we come from below, we are the people, how are we going to get on that side, how are you going to support Bolsonaro, brother?" He said in an interview with Spanish newspaper El País and replicated by BBC.

Maybe you're interested in reading: These Latin American athletes changed sports for politics

United States Case

In 2016, at the height of the US election year with Donald Trump and Hillary ClIGNORE INTOn with candidates, sports like basketball, football and baseball had a great impact on the elections Infobae recalls that American athletes generated a kind of division between Democrats and Republicans, or "friends of Trump" and "followers of Hillary."

In favor of ClIGNORE INTOn there were many, among them the maximum star of the NBA: Lebron James. "The King" confessed in an article she wrote for Business Insider and from which exactly this extract was compiled: "We need a president who understands our community and is based on Obama's legacy, so let's vote for her." Other basketball players who supported the former first lady were Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, Jason Collins and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

In turn, on Trump's side, support came from the former player and actor, Dennis Rodman, who said "We do not need a politician but a businessman. When I return to the White House it will be to visit President Trump. "Another one who spoke out on behalf of the current US president was the controversial former player Latrell Sprewell, Infobae continued.

If you talk about football, the support was more massive for Trump, led by the quarterback of the New England Patriots, Tom Brady, who described as 'a friend' of Trump, and behind him some leaders of the NFL as Woody Johnson (New York Jets), or Edward Glazer of the Tampa Bay Bucaneers. On the side of Hillary, the backing in this sport came from former NFL players such as Jim Brown, Tony Gonzalez (former Kansas City Chiefs) and Hall of Famer Franco Harris.

In baseball, Infobae contributes, also received more Trump support with the figures of the former Boston Red Sox pitcher, Curt Schilling, and the remembered Johnny Damon, but Hillary, had a single support of great marketing, as was Alex Rodriguez, former Yankees of New York and current partner of Jennifer Lopez, who became the marquee player of ClIGNORE INTOn, after granting a small economic contribution to his campaign.

Colombia Case

The current president of Colombia, Iván Duque, received support during his candidacy from former boxer Miguel 'Happy' Lora, as well as tennis player Mauricio Hadad, assured Pulzo.com. However, in that sense, the one that had greater support among his opponents was Germán Vargas Lleras, because two ex-footballers such as Adolfo 'El Tren' Valencia and Faustino Asprilla publicly supported him.

"We are going to be supporting this beautiful cause, that the doctor is there, that God bless God and give him that great success," Valencia said in a video supporting the Bogota candidate, in statements compiled by El País de Colombia.

Chile Case

Something similar happened in Chile. The new president Sebastián Piñera, as well as his opponents Carolina Goic and Marco Enríquez-Ominami, also received support from former athletes, and in that sense, Emol.Com, reviews those of Piñera.

One of the most talked about was former Chilean U player Pablo Galdames, recently retired and a member of Piñera's party, the PRI, and who joined former marathon runner Érika Olivera, former players Marcelo Zunino and Leonel Herrera, as well as former tennis player Paul Capdeville.

LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano

Translated from "Estos son los deportistas famosos que han apoyado a candidatos presidenciales"

Listen this article