Four international football superstars – Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Ryan Giggs and Alessandro Nesta – have signed an agreement with Gatorade Thirst Quencher to be the face of the brand and participate in a variety of global marketing initiatives.

“The best athletes in the world drink Gatorade,” said Ronaldinho. “That’s because science shows nothing works better than Gatorade to put back what athletes lose in sweat.”

The four football players are the newest additions to the Gatorade family, which includes professional as well as amateur sports teams and events throughout the world. Gatorade is the official sports drink of Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Ajax and Juventus, along with the US Soccer national teams and the 2004 Copa America.

“Highlighting that the world’s best athletes and teams use Gatorade has helped make Gatorade a multi-billion dollar brand,” said Patty Wolff, vice president of international marketing for Gatorade. “This partnership presents tremendous opportunities to help our brand grow globally.”

Backed by more than 35 years of scientific research, Gatorade has scientifically-proven rehydration and performance benefits over water. No other beverage or sports drink company has established such a strong expertise in rehydration and sports nutrition.

Ongoing hydration research is conducted by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Barrington, Illinois, in the US and in partnership with leading sports scientists as well as laboratories around the world, including the Milan Labs.

“I worked with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute a few years ago and was surprised at how challenging it was to replace the fluid and sodium an athlete loses during a training session,” said Roberto Carlos.

“This reinforced how staying hydrated can help me play at my best!”