Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese icon, stands out as one of this generation’s most influential sporting phenomena. His illustrious soccer career has propelled him to become the wealthiest soccer player, and his celebrity image has made him a coveted brand ambassador for numerous big brands.
Recently, Cristiano Ronaldo demonstrated his unmatched global popularity by attaining the title of the most searched athlete in Google history. Furthermore, he has actively engaged in various social welfare activities, with one notable instance where his passionate reaction helped save an infant’s life.
One Cristiano Ronaldo reaction saved a child’s life
In March 2021, during Portugal’s World Cup qualification match against Serbia at the Stadion Rajko Mitic in Belgrade, Serbia, the Portuguese captain was denied a last-gasp winning goal by the linesman, resulting in the scoreline finishing as a 2-2 draw.
The replay made it clear that the ball had crossed the goal line before the Serbian defender cleared it off the line. However, due to the unavailability of a decision-review VAR system, the much-deserved goal was not given in Portugal’s favor.
After the full-time whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo received a booking for protesting against the decision. Subsequently, in frustration, he threw his captain’s armband on the pitch and rushed down the tunnel in disbelief regarding the decision. Notably, the match referee and UEFA issued apologies to Portugal for the controversial call.
Reportedly, the armband was picked up by a Serbian firefighter, who placed it on a charity auction to raise funds to help a six-month-old toddler named Gavrilo Djurdjevic, suffering from a spinal atrophy condition. The auction garnered a donation amount of $75,000, contributing to the funds needed for Gavrilo’s surgery.
Serbia’s Mozart, the betting company that purchased the armband from the auction, confirmed the purchase, stating, “We decided to take part in the auction because of its humanitarian nature. The objective was to aid toddler Gavrilo Djurdjevic as well as to raise awareness that we need to stand united in taking this kind of action.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s philanthropic deeds
Cristiano Ronaldo has also secured the position of the highest-paid athlete in 2023, boasting a $75 million-per-year contract with Al-Nassr. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star has actively participated in philanthropic campaigns and generously contributed to charitable work.
The 38-year-old serves as an ambassador for organizations such as UNICEF and the Save the Children Foundation. In a notable act of philanthropy, he auctioned his European Golden Boot in 2011, raising $1.2 million to build schools in Gaza.
In the same year, the forward sold his autographed jersey for $31,000, with the proceeds donated to Save the Children. Ronaldo also contributed his £450,000 Champions League winning bonus to charity, a gesture he repeated with his 2016 Champions League bonus.
Interestingly, he went as far as putting one of his Ballon d’Or awards up for sale, raising $530,000 in aid of the Make-A-Wish foundation. In 2015, dosomething.org declared Ronaldo to be the most charitable athlete in the world.
What do you think of Cristiano Ronaldo’s charitable gestures? Make sure to let us know in the comments section.
