Cristiano Ronaldo, Members of Portugal National Football Team Donate to Financially Aid Amateur Club
Just last week the Portuguese football federation had suspended the country’s amateur season with immediate effect and declared the season null and void, which means that there will be no champions, promotion or relegation and the season will start as it did last year whenever football resumed again.
Cristiano Ronaldo and other members of the Portugal national football team have decided to donate half of their bonus salaries from the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign to help the amateur football clubs in the country survive the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic. The lower division football clubs and grassroots football projects have been hit badly by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has threatened to crush the economy of most countries around the world. The money donated by the players will be deposited in a fund that has been set-up to financially helps lower division clubs survive the crisis. Cristiano Ronaldo Plays the Game Like No One Else, He is a Machine: Chelsea's Tino Livramento.
Just last week the Portuguese football federation had suspended the country’s amateur season with immediate effect and declared the season null and void, which means that there will be no champions, promotion or relegation and the season will start as it did last year whenever football resumed again.
“It is fundamental that the championships end because it would allow some sort of normality to be restored and we could prepare for next season knowing who has qualified for international competitions, who the champions are and who is relegated,” Pedro Proenca, the President of the Primeira Liga (top division) had said. A decision regarding the top division is, however, yet to be taken.
Portugal are the defending Euro champions and will be defending their crown when the Euro, which was postponed by a year due to the pandemic, starts next year. Portugal beat hosts France by 1-0 margin in 2016 with Eder scoring the decisive goal after Cristiano Ronaldo had to be forced off with a thigh injury.
Meanwhile, as many as 535 people have died in the country while over 16, 000 people have been affected with the deadly virus, which has already claimed over a lakh people worldwide and left millions affected.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 13, 2020 08:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).