Cristiano Ronaldo to use fortune to fight coronavirus by paying for medical supplies along with agent Mendes
CRISTIANO RONALDO will team up with his agent Jorge Mendes to help combat the spread of coronavirus by paying for medical supplies in Portugal.
According to reports by Spanish paper AS, Portuguese super-agent Mendes has already bankrolled 200,000 gowns and three ventilators for the Sao Jao hospital in Porto.
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In an incredible act of selflessness, Ronaldo is set to use his football fortune to help fight off the deadly virus.
He will be one of a number of Mendes’ clients who put their wealth to good use by purchasing medical equipment for hospitals that desperately need it as they struggle to deal with the influx of patients critically ill with Covid-19.
Ronaldo is back in Madeira having returned to his native Portugal after mother Dolores suffered a stroke.
He has been self-isolating after a number of his Juventus team-mates tested positive for the deadly virus – most recently Argentina ace Paulo Dybala.
The former Real Madrid talisman earns a reported £80 million a year and is preparing to put his colossal wealth to further good use – with Mendes on the verge of purchasing 50,000 protective masks and preparing donations for hospitals in the coming days.
Ex Manchester United No7 Ronaldo is no stranger to heroic good deeds.
The Portuguese superstar has given away millions to good causes – in May 2015 he made a £5m donation to a charity in Nepal after a horrific earthquake and recently auctioned off his Ballon D’Or trophy, raising over £500,000 for the Make-A-Wish foundation.
Portugal declared a state of emergency on Wednesday with the situation set to deteriorate in the next week.
Up to now it has not been as stark as in neighbouring Spain and Italy – where 35-year-old Ronaldo currently stars for Juventus.
There have been 12 deaths in Portugal but medical chiefs fear this figure is going to rise sharply – prompting Ronaldo and Mendes to help stem the spread of coronavirus.
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Mendes represents a number of football stars with high-profile clients such as Premier League players Fabinho, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Neves.
With action in Europe universally suspended and Euro 2020 postponed for a year, many people involved in the football world are using their free time to contribute to the struggle against the virus.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic started a fund raising campaign for Italian hospitals, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich opened up his hotel to NHS staff and Ronaldo’s former United team-mate Gary Neville pledged similar measures for his establishments.