CRISTIANO RONALDO was the reason behind his international team-mate Bernardo Silva and the rest of the Portugal squad making a generous coronavirus donation.
Manchester City midfielder Silva revealed the Juventus star came up with the idea for the Portugal players to donate 50 per cent of their Euro 2020 qualification bonus to help during the outbreak.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with teammate Portugal’s forward Bernardo Silva after scoring during the Euro 2020 Group B qualification against LithuaniaCredit: Getty
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After successfully qualifying for the Euros, each player received a bonus.
The tournament itself has been postponed until the same time next year as a result of COVID-19.
In an interview with the Bleacher Report, reported by The Mirror, Silva said: ”Actually he [Ronaldo] was the one, two or three days ago, that gave us the idea to donate our bonus.
”So we qualified for the 2020 Euros, which is now in 2021.
”And he gave us the idea let’s donate part of our bonus, so I think our national team, our players will donate 50 per cent of our qualifying bonus.”
That bonus will go to the fund created by the Portugal Football Federation.
It will be vital in helping non-professional clubs to survive during this coronavirus pendemic.
The Portuguese Federation spoke on the generosity of its players and club, saying: ”In the spirit of the camaraderie between professional and non-professional football, we have decided, as a team, to give up part of our Euro 2020 qualification prize money.
”We have also decided, because we have not forgotten about our own paths and all those who have generously helped us to make progress in our careers, that these amounts will be added to the support fund already created by the FPF aimed mainly at players from non-professional competition clubs.”
WHAT A GUY
Ronaldo has already done a number of incredible things in support of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He stepped in and is funding the North Lisbon University Hospital, with two intensive care wings and an intensive care wing in Porto’s Santo Antonio hospital – both in his home country.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner also donated five ventilators as he teamed up with his agent Jorge Mendes in order to achieve all of the above.
Aside from helping those in need amid the coronavirus outbreak, the 35-year-old star has demonstrated for years that he is a giver at heart.
He gifted an incredible £5million to relief efforts after the Nepal earthquake.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
