Why Real Madrid Rejected Cristiano Ronaldo's Pay Raise

Prasanth3

"This is indeed one of the most absurd transactions made by Real Madrid! Refusing to give a raise to their star player, Cristiano Ronaldo, and then spending €150 million to sign Eden Hazard. So, what's the real story behind this? It all goes back to the 2017-18 season.

At that time, Cristiano Ronaldo, whose contract was nearing its end, approached Real Madrid's top management for a contract extension. This was because he had just helped the team achieve a historic UEFA Champions League three-peat. He had also won two consecutive Ballon d'Or awards. Plus, his salary was less than that of his rival, Lionel Messi. Consequently, Ronaldo requested a €10 million raise.

However, what was the result? Real Madrid's president, Florentino Pérez, flatly refused the request. He believed that a 33-year-old Ronaldo wasn't worth the additional investment. Real Madrid, with a focus on nurturing young talent, ultimately decided against a salary increase. Ronaldo, feeling disheartened, chose to leave the Santiago Bernabéu and subsequently joined Juventus in Italy.

To fill the void left by Ronaldo on the wing, Florentino Pérez, in the summer of 2019, spent €150 million to sign Eden Hazard, with an annual salary of €32 million gross. Hazard even symbolically donned the iconic number 7 jersey at Real Madrid. However, despite high hopes from countless fans, Hazard's performance was disappointing. In his four-year Real Madrid career, he only scored seven goals and suffered a staggering 18 injuries. Nonetheless, he did help the team win eight titles.

Hazard's underwhelming form and injury-prone nature led Real Madrid to the breaking point. In the summer of the current year, they reached an agreement to terminate his contract prematurely while still needing to pay 50% of his wages. A superstar once valued at over €100 million had now become a €5 million glass player. The player Florentino Pérez held in such high regard as the ""Galáctico"" had turned into the ""Plump Ball,"" leaving many feeling regretful.

If Real Madrid had agreed to give Ronaldo a raise and kept him back then, how many more championships could they have won together?"

Yamini003

Cristiano Ronaldo was not signed by Florentino Pérez , so he was unwilling to compromise on Ronaldo's salary.

Jatin255

It's quite normal for various things to happen when a player of Cristiano Ronaldo's stature and fame is involved.

Iti911

It's surprising to think that Cristiano Ronaldo left primarily due to salary-related issues.