Cristiano Ronaldo’s charity work, from donating £1m to Portuguese hospitals to fight coronavirus to funding operations

During the coronavirus pandemic few have stepped up to the plate like Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Juventus forward, who earns £500,000-a-week wages at Juventus and has sponsorship deals with the likes of Nike, Armani, KFC, Herbalife, as well as his own range of CR7 clothes, shoes and underwear, has put his money where his mouth is and aided those in need.

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Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s richest athlete – and he is also one of the most generousCredit: AFP or licensors

His years of success at Real Madrid and now at Juventus have made the Portuguese one of the most divisive athletes in the world.

Adored by his fans for his ridiculous skill and achievement, Ronaldo also has an army of critics who hate his petulant behaviour and obsession with appearance and brand.

But while many deride Ronaldo for his antics on the pitch, few know of his charity work off of it.

Here’s why Ronaldo has one of the biggest hearts in all of sport.

CORONAVIRUS PAYCUT

With an estimated wealth of around £500million, you could argue that it wouldn’t hurt Ronaldo to take a pay cut during these uncertain times for football clubs.

But not all footballers are in agreement with that idea.

However, Ronaldo led the way with a wage cut for March, April, May, and June while the world waits to see what the coronavirus will do to the footballing world.

That’s said to have cost Ronaldo £3.8million personally.

Ronaldo led the way by taking a pay cut during the coronavirus pandemicCredit: Refer to Caption

GENEROUS DONATION

According to various reports, Ronaldo teamed up with his agent Jorge Mendes back in March to donate £1million to hospitals in Portugal to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Hospitals in Porto and Lisbon were recipients of the generous donation – receiving beds and ventilators to cope with the high-number of patients suffering with COVID-19.

Daniel Ferro, president of Lisbon’s Santa Maria Hospital, revealed the selfless act.

“We were contacted by Jorge Mendes, who volunteered with Cristiano Ronaldo to finance two intensive care units for critical patients suffering from COVID-19,” Ferro said.

“There are fans, monitors, infusion pumps, beds … all the equipment that constitutes an intensive care unit equipped to provide care to a COVID-19 patient.”

Teaming up with his agent Jorge Mendes, Ronaldo donated £1m to Portuguese hospitals for beds and ventilatorsCredit: Instagram