It is a common maxim that money cannot buy you happiness and Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world’s best paid players, appears to have become the latest to acknowledge this after saying he was “sad” at Real Madrid.
The Portugal forward, who cost Real a record 94 million euros (US$118.49 million) in 2009 and who earns about 11 million euros a year, refused to elaborate after Sunday’s La Liga win, but added that it was for professional, not personal reasons.
“The people who work here know why,” he said after their routine 3-0 home win over Granada, in which he scored a brace, and his comments dominated the sports headlines in Spain on Monday.
Photo: AFP
“Enough in enough” ran the front page of sports daily Marca over a photo of a serious looking Ronaldo.
“CR7 unsettles Madrid and activates the alarm bells after failing to celebrate his goals against Granada,” it said.
An El Mundo comment piece was headlined “Rich, good-looking and sad.”
Amid rife speculation, Ronaldo’s agent and close friend Jorge Mendes said on Monday it was up to the player to decide if he wanted to go public or not with the reasons behind his sadness.
“I am aware of the reasons behind Ronaldo’s words and it is up to him to disclose them or not,” Mendes wrote in a statement on his company’s Web site, Gestifute.
“I am not surprise by them and they cause me no discomfort. Those who know my relationship with Ronaldo know he will always count on my total solidarity,” he added.
Radio station Cadena Ser and other media reported that Ronaldo had held a meeting with Real president Florentino Perez on Saturday where he said he did not feel he had the support of the dressing room, he was unhappy and wanted to leave.
Ronaldo himself dismissed the idea that his feelings had anything to do with losing out to Andres Iniesta for the Best Player in Europe award on Thursday last week.
There was media speculation that he was unhappy not to be offered an improved contract after his goal-scoring feats over the last three seasons.
“Cristiano has the right to be annoyed about whatever he seems fit,” a columnist in sports daily AS wrote.
“But it shows a lack of respect to his colleagues and the fans to be angry for reasons that one is not brave enough to make clear. If he wants more money, come out and say so,” he said.
Ronaldo, who netted 46 league goals last season, has had a relatively quiet start to the campaign and looked below par in Real’s league-opening draw against Valencia and in their shock 2-1 defeat at Getafe.
The 27-year-old scored the winner against Barcelona in their Spanish Super Cup second-leg win on Wednesday last week, but was pointedly serious and downbeat after scoring his goals against Granada on Sunday.
Ronaldo, who asked to be substituted with a knock to his left thigh in the second half, joins up with the Portugal squad on Monday next week for their World Cup 2014 qualifiers against Luxembourg and Azerbaijan.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jack Hinshelwood on Monday sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory against Liverpool to leave the English Premier League champions without a win since clinching the title. Arne Slot’s side took the lead through Harvey Elliott’s early opener before Yasin Ayari equalized at the American Express Stadium. Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s advantage just before halftime, but Brighton staged a late fightback as Kaoru Mitoma leveled before Hinshelwood came off the bench to net with his first touch. Liverpool have taken just one point from their three matches following the title-clinching rout of Tottenham Hotspur on April 27. The Reds have lost at
Logan O’Hoppe, Taylor Ward and Matthew Lugo homered, and the Los Angeles Angels spoiled Clayton Kershaw’s season debut, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-9 on Saturday night to take the first two games of the three-game series. Kershaw allowed three runs and threw 38 pitches in the first inning. The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner lasted four innings, giving up five runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Shoulder, toe and knee injuries limited Kershaw to seven games last season, and his 2025 debut was delayed as he recovered from multiple offseason surgeries. O’Hoppe had two hits with
RSS