Football: Ronaldo insists ‘it’s not about money’

MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo insisted his complaint about being glum at Real Madrid was not a ploy to get more money out of the club. Ronaldo sparked a global media storm when he confessed to being ‘sad’ at Real Madrid, explaining why he did not celebrate either goal after snatching a brace in Madrid’s 3-0 win over Granada. Many publications accused him of trying to leverage more money out of Real Madrid. Spain’s sports paper Marca said his salary was €10 million a year, putting him 10th on the world list earning half of that of Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o at Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala. But Ronaldo took to his Facebook page and Twitter to deny financial motives for his misery. “I have too much respect for myself and for Real Madrid to ever give less to the club than all I am capable of.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2012.