When most of us discuss football, we talk about the world best players, highest goal scorers, best dribblers, most expensive players and so on, rarely do we argue about the most charitable players.
Image: Cristiano Ronaldo
Almost every footballer loves fame, women, flashy cars and magnificent houses because that’s what the world wants to talk about.
Issues on charity are pushed to the background as if it’s no responsibility of footballers.
Most of these world class players earn more than presidents and politicians, yet we crucify governments for not doing much when there are individuals whose kindheartedness can make greater impacts on people’s lives than most state governments.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of those people who understand this, and has always gone out of his way to make people happy. He’s more popular than most countries and presidents, yes, it’s true.
While critics are hell-bent on crucifying him for an alleged arrogance, the Real Madrid star has never stopped giving back to humanity not only in Madeira, but in other parts of the world.
If every footballer contributes to changing lives in whatever little measure, every community, state or region in the world would have been touched by the world’s best sport–football.
Cristiano Ronaldo [the kindest footballer ever] recently offered financial support to his hometown Madeira, following a series of deadly wildfire which ravaged the island.
Image shows Madeira on fire.
Reports confirm the Real Madrid striker made an offer via a telephone call to President Miguel Albuquerque this week, after the wildfires killed three people and destroyed over 150 homes.
Reports from Portugal kept the donated amount confidential but Ronaldo expressed his heartbreak on Instagram, after the discussion with Albuquerque.
Image shows firefighters battling a fire that reached the old center of Funchal, the capital of Portugal’s Madeira island.
CR7 wrote: “It is with an aching heart that I’m seeing what is happening in Madeira and other parts of the country.
“My support goes out with a thank you to all the firefighters who are bravely risking their lives to save so many others. I am with you.”
According to reports, the biggest fire on Madeira – the largest island in an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean that lies about 580 kilometers off the Moroccan coast and about 970 kilometers southwest of Lisbon – broke out last Monday and rapidly spread to the outskirts of Funchal, home to a population of 110,000.
Image shows smoke from the wildfires.
Ronaldo’s recent charity donation isn’t the first and won’t be the last of his kindness to humanity.
Records show that in 2009, the Portugal captain donated £100,000 to one of the hospitals in Madeira where his mother’s life was saved, leading to the establishment of a cancer center in Madeira.
Image: Cristiano Ronaldo
Earlier in 2014, parents of a 10-month old Spanish boy contacted the Real Madrid forward for help. The toddler named Erik Oritz Cruz required a brain operation to live, and the couple asked Ronaldo to donate only a football shirt and boots to a charity auction so they could raise the medical bills.
Surprisingly, the former Manchester United ace did the unthinkable, footing all the bills and paying for further treatments.
CR7 paid a whooping sum of £50,000 for the operation with an additional £5,000 paid per session for every post-operation check-up. The total amount he spent on the toddler was never made public afterwards.
Cristiano Ronaldo has a heart of gold though most people who only watch him play without understanding what he does off the pitch, judge him in error as being selfish and arrogant.
Ronaldo’s zig-zag hairstyle at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, attracted negative criticisms from people who didn’t realize it was in honor of Erik, the toddler who just came out of surgery with lookalike scars on the right side of his head.
When the news surfaced online, critics chose to see it as an unnecessary publicity stunt after an act of goodwill.
Some others argued that the amount he spent meant nothing to the millions he throws around. But truth be told, he owed the toddler’s parents nothing if he didn’t want to spend his hard-earned money. Ronaldo became what he is today because he suffered to build the brand, and he’s not paid for nothing.
Image: Cristiano Ronaldo
He’s already more popular than most head of states and even countries, so what kind of popularity would such expenses bring to him.
Most people have failed to realize that Ronaldo doesn’t have tattoos in the name of fashion like every other modern day footballer. The reason?
“I don’t have tattoos because I donate blood very often,” he once said, according to Diretta News.
Ronaldo gives blood twice a year and wants to avoid the cross-contamination and potential diseases that come with having your body inked. Isn’t this another truly noble cause from the 30-year old winger?
CR7 is affiliated to many charity organization and he doesn’t grunt about it.
As confirmed by Celebrity Causes website Looktothestars.org, Ronaldo is actively involved with the following major charitable organisations:
– Aid Still Required – (‘A non-profit corporation, founded to champion forgotten issues and people left behind after natural disasters and other crises’)
– Cahonas Scotland – (‘A Male Cancer Awareness Charity in Scotland’)
– Save the Children – (‘Creating real and lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world’)
– UNICEF – (‘To improve children’s lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more.’)
– World Vision – (‘A relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty.’)
Not many people would know these facts nor would they be aware that Ronaldo has a long list of causes that he supports including abuse, adoption, AIDS & HIV, cancer, disaster relief, education, health, human rights, poverty, slavery & human trafficking.
Image: Cristiano Ronaldo
Reports confirm that in 2012, the Portugal captain sold the Golden Boot he won in 2011 for £1.5 million and donated its proceedings to Palestinian school children in Gaza.
Cristiano Ronaldo is also in partnership with FIFA’s ’11 for Health’ project which aims at raising awareness to children against drug addiction, HIV and obesity.
How much do we need to know before we learn to appreciate Ronaldo for who he is, rather than judge him for what we think he’s not?
The good side of Ronaldo is better than any other bad side, if there’s any such thing. He’s a player who likes to express himself but people prefer those who pretend to be angels.