Former Icelandic footballer Eidur Gudjohnsen has commented on the recent ban on sponsorships by bookmakers on Premier League club shirts. He had outstanding spells at Barcelona, Spain, and Chelsea, England.
In the English team, he won the English Championship on two occasions, while he won the Champions League title in 2009 for the Catalan team. Away from the pitch since 2016, Gudjohnsen gave an interview to the English newspaper “The Mirror” and approved the new measure.
He believes that allowing bookmakers to expose themselves to prominent points on sports uniforms can be a negative influence, especially for children.
“You have every football fan, every child in the world, with their eyes on our biggest club shirts every day. A shirt sponsor is a strong message. Advertising is so influential,” explained the former Barcelona and Chelsea player.
“I remember when I played for Barcelona. They have never had a shirt sponsor in their entire history. Barça’s first sponsor was UNICEF – and that connection generated a great deal of awareness for a worthy cause,” added Eidur Gudjohnsen.
In this same interview, the former player revealed that he has already lost approximately 6 million euros (more than R$ 30 million at the current exchange rate) in sports betting. Gudjohnsen explained that this loss occurred two decades ago, when it was at its best. He admitted that he lost €400,000 over five months.
Prohibition of partnerships between bookmakers and clubs
The English teams approved a rule that prohibits partnerships between bookmakers in uniforms. However, this measure will only come into effect in 2026, as eight Premier League clubs have agreements with companies in the sector: West Ham, Everton, Fulham, Bournemouth, Brentford, Leeds, Newcastle and Southampton.
