Cristiano Ronaldo: The truth about reports Real Madrid star donated £5million to the Nepal relief effort

The footballer's generosity has been slightly exaggerated

Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the 4-0 defeat to Atletico (Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo again won the admiration of fans – sporting and otherwise – when reports surfaced that he had given another very generous donation to a cause at the forefront of global concern.

French magazine So Foot rumoured that the Real Madrid star had apparently gifted £5million to the Nepal relief effort following devastating earthquakes in the region in the space of a month.

The article claimed that Ronaldo had chosen the sum of €7million because it matched the number of his football shirt, No.7.

Unfortunately – and despite his track record of unbelievable generosity – the piece was not entirely accurate.

“The recent report of Ronaldo’s contribution towards Save the Children’s Nepal earthquake relief efforts is untrue,” a spokesperson for Save the Children, of which Ronaldo is an ambassador, said.

They added in a statement that the athlete had “used his voice and his global visibility to raise awareness of the problems faced by the most vulnerable children around the world, including those affected by the earthquake in Nepal”.

Sure enough, Ronaldo had actively posted links encouraging his followers on Facebook to donate to the Nepal earthquake:

“After the second earthquake, which has brought further devastation to the country, the NGO wants to thank Cristiano Ronaldo and other influential people for their support in publicising the situation facing children and families in Nepal,” the statement added.

Ronaldo is thought to be the world's second-highest paid athlete, with Forbes estimating that he makes $28million (£17million) in endorsements, and $52million (£33million) in salary and winnings.

He is known to have donated money to help rebuild Aceh, Indonesia, after the 2004 tsunami and earthquake. In 2014, Ronaldo was asked to donate items to help raise $83,000 (£52,000) to pay for an operation for a 10-month-old baby. He donated a shirt and boots, and paid for the operation too.