Was the Player of the Match award good business for Michelob Ultra?

Due to legal and religious reasons, the official beer of the 2025 Club World Cup couldn't display its branding on 20 of the tournament's "Superior Player of the Match" awards.

The first reason involves US legal drinking age restrictions: players like Franco Mastantuono, Estevão, and Jobe Bellingham (under 21) received unbranded awards.

Religious considerations also applied: Muslim players (Achraf Hakimi, Ilkay Gündogan, Bono, etc.) received awards without beer branding per FIFA's respect for their beliefs.

These players received identical trophies - just without the Michelob Ultra logo (also omitted from social media posts). The "Superior" title still referenced the brand's "Superior Light Beer" marketing.

In total, 31.7% (20/63) of awards were presented without branding.