FOOTBALL stars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar had the luxury of keeping in tip-top shape at their luxury homes during lockdown.
And the trio were not shy in helping out in the fight against coronavirus as the deadly bug brought a halt to sporting events as well as forcing people to stay indoors.
Lionel Messi was keeping himself active while in self-isolationCredit: Instagram @leomessi
Here SunSport looks at how the global icons kept active, while also doing their bit to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
LIONEL MESSI
The Barcelona forward has rocked the club by demanding a move away, with Manchester City leading the chase for his signature.
But he used his time in self-isolation to hone in on his football skills with the Argentine star’s home boasting an outdoor football pitch.
And the six-time Ballon d’Or winner also had his gym to keep in shape, with the player sharing a clip of himself working out with his son.
Messi even got in on the “Stay At Home” challenge where he expertly managed to do 20 kick-ups with a toilet roll, before nominating Luis Suarez, Arturo Vidal, Jordi Alba and Sergio Aguero.
He has used his social platform to tell his followers to remain inside, as he said: “Health must always come first. It is an exceptional moment and you must follow the instructions of both health organisations and public authorities. Only in this way can we combat it effectively.
“It is the time to be responsible and stay at home, it is also perfect to enjoy that time with yours that you can not always have. A hug and hopefully we can turn this situation around as soon as possible.”
As well as spreading the word, Messi has also donated £920,000, with the money to be used to buy health equipment to help fight coronavirus.
Barcelona star Lionel Messi did the “Stay at Home challenge” with easeCredit: Instagram
Messi spent quality time with his family during the lockdownCredit: Instagram @leomessi
The donation was split between Barcelona’s University hospital and another medical centre in his native Argentina.
And the Blaugrana marksman also took a 70 per cent pay cut along with his team-mates.
Barca’s squad also made contributions to ensure ordinary staff received their salary in full during the suspension of football.
CRISTIANO RONALDO
The Juventus ace spent lockdown in Madeira with his family, with his stunning property overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
And he kept himself active by using his rooftop pool, while he was also been enjoying strolls out with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and his children.
But after photos emerged of Ronaldo out and about, Madeira-based GP Rafael Macedo branded the Portuguese international a “tramp”, though he later claimed his Facebook account was hacked.
In a post, he raged: “I want that animal who’s come from Italy to stay at home. Get me that tramp out of Madeira.”
But Ronaldo helped out to fight Covid-19, with the superstar teaming up with his agent Jorge Mendes to finance hospitals in Portugal.
Despite having to stay in quarantine, Ronaldo’s sculpted physique did not suffer
Cristiano Ronaldo kept himself in fine shape while in self-isolation
The duo had already bankrolled 200,000 gowns and three ventilators for the Sao Jao medical institution in Porto.
And the two then funded North Lisbon’s University Hospital Centre (CHULN) with two intensive care wings that each have the capacity to add an extra 20 beds.
The CHULN, which includes both the Santa Maria and Pulido Valente treatment centres, also confirmed that they would be named after Ronaldo and Mendes.
Ronaldo, 35, and his super-agent also splashed out on an intensive care wing in Porto’s Santo Antonio hospital, which allowed for the opening of 15 fully-equipped care beds.
And in another gesture, Ronaldo agreed to defer £3.5million in wages to ensure Juventus could pay their staff amid the coronavirus outbreak.
NEYMAR
Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar was holed up in his swanky mansion with pals in his native Brazil in Rio de Janeiro.
The £7million villa boasts a tennis court that the ex-Barca man was using, while the player also uploaded snaps of him playing volleyball.
As he enjoyed his time away from football, Neymar was accused of not taking self-isolation seriously, a claim he strenuously denied.
But he was applauded after he was revealed to be the man behind a secret £770,000 donation.
Neymar was chilling in Rio during his stay in self-isolation
Neymar used the sand on his beach volleyball court to do some running drills
TV show Fofocalizando reported on Neymar initially asking to remain anonymous when sending in his donation, which equates to 5 million reais.
The money was split between UNICEF and a solidarity fund set up by TV presenter friend Luciano Huck.
Neymar helped launch that initiative alongside fellow Brazil celebrities with the message “solidarity must be more contagious than the virus”.
Presenters of tv show Fofoca Lizando applaud Neymar for his donation of £770,000 to help fight coronavirus
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
