A simple meme format derived from a viral 2017 video of professional soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo candidly drinking from a wine glass before smiling and winking at the camera, known as the aptly named "Cristiano Ronaldo Drinking" meme, is currently inescapable on platforms like TikTok right now.

First gaining traction as an exploitable image macro in late 2021, the clip has proven highly adaptable, with creators remixing it with added text captions, music and visual effects to convey smugness, confidence or ironic self-satisfaction.

More recently, which is why we're writing this explainer now, the meme has experienced a notable resurgence since early January 2026, particularly on TikTok, where it's being circulated under the nickname "Ronaldo Drinking Chocolate Milk."

During this revival, users have further edited and referenced the clip in crossover memes, with several posts humorously labeling it the "first meme of 2026," solidifying its renewed presence in early-2026 internet culture.

So, what's the original context behind the viral video and where did it come from? How is it used in memes, and why is it seemingly everywhere online now? Let's explain.

@bankaivzn First meme of 2026 edit🤤🤤 || ib: nay.cct || Ronaldo drinking meme edit || Ronaldo first meme of 2026 || tags: #ronaldomeme #ronaldo #firstmeme #2026 #fyp ♬ original sound – bankai

What Is The 'Cristiano Ronaldo Drinking' Meme, and Where Does The Clip Of Him Originally Come From?

The source footage behind the meme dates back to mid-May 2017, when Cristiano Ronaldo shared an Instagram Story showing himself drinking a large glass of chocolate wine (or "chocowine") and reacting playfully to the camera.

Although the original Story was later removed, the clip was preserved the same day after being reposted by the sports media account SB Nation on Twitter / X, where it continued circulating and accumulated tens of thousands of views over the following years.

Drinking Chocowine at 4:30 p.m. is living your best life.

(🎥: cristiano/Instagram) pic.twitter.com/VakfzM1xOc

— SB Nation (@SBNation) May 15, 2017

The video was first widely repurposed as a meme several years later in early November 2021, when the YouTube channel peter26de uploaded the clip under the title "Ronaldo drinking meme," marking its earliest documented use in a remix context.

The upload paired the footage with the song "Feel Good" by Syn Cole, helping frame the clip as a lighthearted reaction meme and contributing to its spread as an exploitable format.

How Was 'Cristiano Ronaldo Drinking' Initially Used In Memes?

Following its initial adoption as a meme in late 2021, the clip of Cristiano Ronaldo drinking chocolate wine, often misidentified as chocolate milk, continued to circulate across additional platforms into early 2022, where it was adapted to reference a wide range of pop culture moments.

As the clip spread, meme creators increasingly treated it as a customizable reaction template rather than a standalone video in its original context.

One early example appeared in late December 2021, when the footage was incorporated into a meme referencing the film Spider-Man: No Way Home and uploaded to iFunny by user Nc_Populist, where it earned more than 230 likes in just over three weeks.

Around the same period, the template gained traction on Telegram, where users began applying more elaborate edits, including added filters, composited objects, and Photoshop effects.

A notable example referencing SpongeBob SquarePants was posted on January 3rd, 2022, by Telegram user Eternal Classic, accumulating over 12,800 views within a week.

From there, the meme continued being used around the web, but largely dwindled until recently.

Why Is The 'Ronaldo Drinking' Meme Seeing A Resurgence In 2026?

In early January 2026, the meme of Cristiano Ronaldo drinking chocolate wine experienced a renewed surge in virality, driven largely by TikTok users repurposing the clip through a new wave of exploitable edits and comment-section memes.

A defining aspect of this resurgence was the widespread use of the video as a TikTok sticker (images posted as comments on the site), which appeared repeatedly in replies and comment threads.

Many users framed the format as the "first meme of 2026," sparking both participation and debate around its status.

On January 3rd, TikToker rianbhattarai posted the meme to their page, where it rapidly gained traction, receiving more than 454,000 likes and 66,000 comments within six days, many of which consisted of users replying with the Ronaldo Drinking sticker in the replies.

@rianbhattarai #ronaldodrinkingmeme #footballtiktok #meme #ronaldo#footballedit ♬ original sound – Rian Bhattarai

Shortly after, TikToker H00pify uploaded a video discussing the meme and declaring it the first meme of 2026. His post garnered nearly 9,300 likes and 1,900 comments in under a week, with commenters debating the claim and citing alternatives such as the "Eye of Horus" meme.

@hoopervalley8 Is Cristiano Ronaldo drinking water the first meme of 2026? #h00pify #hoopervalley #cristianoronaldodrinkmeme ♬ original sound – hoopervalley

The trend continued on January 4th, 2026, when TikTok user titann.ae11 shared another post asserting the meme’s status as the first meme of the year.

The edit combined a clip of pop singer Sabrina Carpenter with a Ronaldo fancam, earning over 356,800 views and 23,600 comments in five days.

@titann.ae11 No way ts is the first meme of 2026 #ronaldo #drink #2026 #meme #titann ♬ original sound – titann.ae11

A day later, on January 5th, TikToker lama19652 uploaded a further variation, depicting Ronaldo as an astronaut filming the end of the Earth, which accumulated more than 95,400 likes and 19,300 comments in four days.

@lama19652 ronaldo drink water#ronaldo #cristianoronaldo #meme #viral ♬ оригинальный звук – Artur4ik💦

As the Ronaldo Drinking meme continued to dominate TikTok comment sections throughout early January 2026, its ubiquity became a subject of meta-humor.

On January 7th, TikToker okcron posted an edit recreating the meme while referencing how it appeared in "every comment section," a take that received roughly 3,200 likes and 1,800 comments in two days and reflected growing discourse around the meme’s saturation at the time.

@okcron It’s in every comment section 😭😭 #ronaldo #2026 #okcron ♬ Robot Challenge – KATJA

What Are Some More Examples Of The 'Cristiano Ronaldo Drinking' Meme?

@dumbfriez ronaldo drinking chocolate milk | first meme of 2026🥹 || #fyp #ronaldo #2016 #football ♬ original sound – isaac. ͛

@oma3388 ronaldo drinking tea meme #cr7 #meme2026 #2026 #nofunkedit #crishtianoronaldo ♬ оригінальний звук – oma338

'Ronaldo Drinking' Meme Green Screen and Template

@bestgreenscreen Cristiano Ronaldo Drinking and Smiling Meme (Green Screen) #CapCut #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo #meme #cristianoronaldo #cr7 #ronaldo #trend #trending #viral #fyp #fypシ ♬ Otro Show – Uzielito Mix & El Bogueto & Dani Flow

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For the full history of the Cristiano Ronaldo Drinking meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.