Cristiano Ronaldo was obsessed with Lionel Messi's Barcelona salary and was upset that the Argentine earned double his amount - Reports
Spanish reports (via Daily Mail) have indicated that Cristiano Ronaldo and his one-time representative Jorge Mendes had a rift due to the former's fixation on Lionel Messi's salary. According to the El Mundo report, Ronaldo's behavior was viewed as "pathological". Even though he could not lay claim to being the top player, he still wished to be the highest-paid player.
This fixation is reported to have resulted in a clash with the president of Barcelona during an awards ceremony, in the presence of Jorge Mendes. Cristiano Ronaldo demanded that president Josep Bartomeu tell him how much Lionel Messi got paid, and in response, Bartomeu said:
"I can't tell you, but it's more than double what they [Real Madrid] pay you."
The altercation is believed to have led to Ronaldo's eventual departure from Real Madrid.
Reports suggest that his fixation on Lionel Messi's wages was a substantial factor in his rupture with his former agent, Jorge Mendes. The two are said to have gone their separate ways shortly after Ronaldo gave a passionate interview to Piers Morgan, in which he criticized Manchester United.
14 years ago today, Lionel Messi took the no.10 shirt at Barcelona.
12 years ago today, Cristiano Ronaldo took the no.7 shirt at Real Madrid.
The rest is history 🐐 https://t.co/FTZaMGyjtv
The interview, which Mendes did not want Ronaldo to take, resulted in his departure from the team prior to the commencement of the World Cup. This obsession is also believed to have played a major role in his choice to join Al-Nassr, where he will earn an astronomical £175 million per annum.
In the summer of 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo made the switch to Juventus for a transfer fee of £100m and also received a huge pay rise. He started earning approximately £500,000 a week, or an annual salary of £26.6m.
However, the move was not supported by his representative, Jorge Mendes, who thought that Ronaldo should stay at Madrid where he could have the possibility of claiming two more Ballon d'Or awards.
Messi vs. Ronaldo.
Barcelona vs. Real Madrid.
No one will forget this era. https://t.co/GMgmY0tZM7
Since his departure from Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo has not won the esteemed award, while Lionel Messi has won it twice more.
Cristiano Ronaldo could be joined in Saudi Arabia by Crystal Palace goalkeeper, as Lionel Messi remains in Europe
According to reports from Relevo, Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr is considering making a move for Crystal Palace's Spanish goalkeeper, Vicente Guaita. The 36-year-old has been impressive for the Eagles since joining from Spanish team Getafe, and has reportedly done enough to attract interest from the Middle East.
Al Nassr has recently been linked with a move for reinforcements in goal following an injury to their regular goalkeeper, David Ospina, and were linked with moves for Keylor Navas and Agustin Rossi. The club eventually pulled out of a move for Navas due to his potential wages and age, but a move for Rossi is still being considered.