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Taxing questions spoil Ballon d’Or win for Ronaldo
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REAL Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo feels unable to celebrate his fourth Ballon d’Or award as much as his previous triumphs due to recent allegations of tax evasion.
The European Investigative Collaborations media consortium reported in early December that Ronaldo, and several other clients of soccer agency Gestifute, had used tax havens to handle tens of millions of euros in earnings. Gestifute denied the accusations last week.
Ronaldo, who led Portugal to the Euro 2016 title in July after helping Real Madrid clinch the UEFA Champions League, expressed his disappointment at the timing of the charges against him. “Of course it (allegations) has spoiled it a little bit. I would be lying if I said it hadn’t. I’m not a hypocrite,” he told soccer magazine France Football.
“I wasn’t pleased. The whole process in itself is hard and not only for me, but also for the people alongside me: my family, my son, all those who work with me. All that irritates me because I try to do things correctly, be transparent.”
In its denial, Gestifute stated that Ronaldo, who moved to Real from Manchester United in 2009, is compliant with his tax obligations in Spain.
The 31-year-old Ronaldo, who beat Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann to world football’s top individual prize for 2016 at a glitzy ceremony in Paris on Monday, insists he has nothing to hide.
“You just have to type ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’ on the Internet and you know everything about me,” the Portugal captain said. “I don’t have any reason to lie.
“What came out troubles me. Because it’s not true. The lie is troubling. I have done things correctly.
“There are a lot of innocent people in prison. And I feel a little bit like that. You know you have done nothing wrong, and they say you have done something reprehensible. No one likes that. But the truth always comes out. Sooner or later.”
Ronaldo, who previously won the Ballon d’Or in 2008, 2013 and 2014, is currently with Real in Japan preparing for tomorrow’s Club World Cup semifinal against Mexican side Club America.
As has been the case for almost a decade now, the 31-year-old Ronaldo’s main rival for the Ballon was Messi — but the Barcelona and Argentine maestro had to relinquish the crown after a less-than-stellar year for club and country by his lofty standards.
Ronaldo is now one Ballon d’Or behind Messi, who was second this time with French striker Griezmann third. Fourth was Luis Suarez and fifth his fellow Barcelona attacker Neymar, with Ronaldo’s Welsh teammate Gareth Bale sixth.
The first Ballon d’Or was won by Stanley Matthews, at the time with Blackpool, who beat Alfredo Di Stefano for the inaugural title in 1956.
The Ballon d’Or is decided by a vote of 173 journalists.
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