Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary allows him to donate a lot to worthy charities. The latest cause to benefit from the Portuguese striker’s generosity is the Nepal earthquake relief efforts.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, the French sports magazine So Foot says Ronaldo has given $7.9 million (€7 million) to the organization Save the Children, which is helping the survivors of the devastating 7.8 magnitude quake that shook the area last month.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary is one of the highest not only in soccer, but in all of sports. His $80 million a year include his pay at Real Madrid, $52 million, and endorsements from companies all around the world to the tune of $28 million per year.
This has led Forbes magazine to name the 30-year-old striker the 30th Most Powerful Celebrity of 2014. Like him or not, Ronaldo is a very generous man, taking up causes that are near and dear to his heart and has donated millions to different charities.
Frequently criticized for appearing to be vain and more worried about his image than anything else, you would be surprised to find out that CR7 — as fans know him — has a very big heart. Some examples of the footballer’s generosity took place in 2004, after another devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Aceh, Indonesia. Ronaldo raised funds to help those affected.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary has also been used in private causes. Two young boys with health problems have benefited from the superstar’s generosity.
In 2012, Ronaldo met nine-year-old Canaria native Nuhazet Guillen, who was suffering from cancer of the spine and offered to pay for experimental drugs used to treat the life-threatening condition. Despite the selfless act, the child lost his battle and passed away in 2013, but this sad fact doesn’t take away Cristiano’s actions.
Similarly, in 2014 the parents of 10-month-old Erik Ortiz Cruz, who needed brain surgery to save his life, contacted Ronaldo to ask for his help. The Portuguese captain paid for the $77,000 surgery and subsequent treatment for the baby.
Cristiano Ronaldo World Cup 2014 haircut in honor of child with brain tumor (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
That hair cut design, Cristiano sported during the 2014 World Cup and earned him harsh criticism was in honor of the little child. The surgery resulted in scars on the side of Erik’s head similar to what Ronaldo wore.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary is the topic of much discussion, but the Real Madrid forward has a big heart and his actions speak louder than any words ever could. The millions donated to the Nepal earthquake reconstruction efforts are just the latest example of how generous this often-misunderstood athlete really is.
[Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno]