“I give you my money”, the unexpected promise of Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo was ready to pay a large sum to avoid a start that would have changed the face of Real Madrid.

Throughout his career, Cristiano Ronaldo marked the spirits, not only by his exploits on the ground, but also by unexpected gestures behind the scenes. One of them, which occurred during his visit to Real Madrid, particularly surprised a nearby teammate and demonstrated how far CR7 could go far to preserve the balance of his team.

Ronaldo ready to take out his wallet for a teammate

In 2017, while internal tensions began to appear at Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo tried a poker to hold a key workforce. During a private discussion, he proposed to yield part of his salary to convince his longtime compatriot and friend, Pepe, to stay at the club.

In an interview with Renascença, Pepe revealed the details of this memorable conversation: “I spoke a lot with him, and he wanted me to stay at Real Madrid”, said the central defender. “But I felt that my time at the club was coming to an end after ten intense years, during which I had sacrificed a lot. I tried to explain to him that because of the problems I had at the time, I could not stay anymore. But he said to me, 'If it's a question of money, my friend, I give you mine!' ”

Despite this generous offer, Pepe declined, explaining that his motivations went far beyond money. “Fortunately, it's not a matter of money, it's something else. I wanted to find the pleasure of playing football, and that is why I decided to go to Türkiye. ” The following summer, at 34, Pepe left Madrid free from any contract to join Beşiktaş Istanbul.

The story between Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe is not limited to this astonishing proposal. Their relationship begins well before their common visit to Real Madrid, when they come across the Sporting Lisbon Academy for the first time. In 2009, their paths found themselves in Madrid, where they shared almost a decade of success. Together, they win many titles in the Merengue jersey and shine with the Portuguese selection, especially during Euro 2016.

Ronaldo, unwavering support

This 2017 gesture is not isolated. In 2012, during a Liga match against Valence, Pepe was undergoing a serious head injury after a collision with Iker Casillas. Transported in an emergency to the hospital, he wakes up with a big surprise.

“I have a memory with Cris which will remain engraved in me forever,”Tells Pepe. “Even if I had a memory hole and I don't remember the match, I remember that when I woke up the next day in the hospital, I was still wearing my Real Madrid jersey. Then I went to see my family, my wife, who was five days pregnant with our daughter Angeli. And to the info, I saw that Cris had come to the hospital! ”

Cristiano Ronaldo had spent the night with Pepe's family, offering precious support in a difficult moment. “This gesture, and other little things he has done, show how much we appreciate ourselves.”

A friendship that has solidified since

Today, Pepe hung up the crampons in 2024, after an exceptional career marked by titles and highlights. For his part, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to dazzle the land, now evolving in Al-Nassr. Always competitive, he has just reached the total of 923 career goals and continues to aim for 1000 achievements.

With this amazing gesture, Cristiano Ronaldo shows that his legend is not only written with goals and trophies, but also with acts of loyalty that mark his teammates forever.