Mohamed Salah’s stunning goal against Arsenal for Chelsea lit up London’s derby — and ignited a fierce social media face-off between Sprite Egypt and Pepsi Masr, as brands raced to ride Egypt’s wave of football pride.
Sprite Strikes First with a Public Salute
Moments after Salah’s sixth goal for Chelsea, Sprite Egypt seized the spotlight. In a bold tweet, the Coca-Cola brand congratulated Salah, tapping into Egypt’s euphoria and positioning itself alongside the nation’s hero.
Pepsi Responds, Claiming the “Godfather” Role
Pepsi Masr, Salah’s official sponsor, wasn’t about to let Sprite steal the show. With a sharp reply on Twitter, Pepsi reminded everyone of its relationship with Salah, declaring itself his “godfather” — turning what started as a feel-good moment into a brand showdown that electrified Egyptian social media.
Chelsea Wins Big with Early Strategy
While Sprite and Pepsi traded tweets, it was Chelsea FC that proved the smartest player in the game. Even before Salah’s rise, Chelsea saw his potential to bring millions of Egyptian fans online — and quickly hired an Egyptian agency in early 2014 to manage its Arabic Facebook page. This savvy move let Chelsea speak directly to Egypt’s football community, building loyalty and engagement at lightning speed.
By March 2014, Chelsea had 1.3 million Egyptian Facebook fans, making Egypt its third-largest fanbase globally, after Indonesia and India. That foresight turned Chelsea’s social strategy into a textbook case for international clubs aiming to win over regional markets through local language and cultural connection.
Brand Rivalries in the Age of Social Media
The showdown between Sprite and Pepsi over Salah’s goal is a prime example of how brands fight to hijack viral moments. In Egypt, where football is more than a sport, aligning with national icons like Salah can spark huge engagement — but also fierce competition.
As Salah’s career soars beyond Chelsea to global stardom, the question looms: can brands keep up with his unstoppable momentum, or will his marketing magic fade as new stars emerge? What’s certain is that brands betting on timely, culturally relevant engagement — like Chelsea did — stand the best chance of winning fans’ hearts.
What do you think? Will Salah’s appeal keep brands battling for his spotlight, or is a new hero waiting in the wings?
