Cristiano Ronaldo left Juventus nearly three years ago, but it looks like the Old Lady will have to pay the striker anyway. According to BBC Sport, the Italian side has been ordered to pay CR7 $10.3 million (£8.3 million) in owed wages by an Italian court.
The Portuguese superstar agreed to defer his salary in the 2020-21 season, when the Covid-19 pandemic halted Serie A activity. But the 39-year-old eventually claimed the money he was owed from those defers.
Ronaldo reportedly claimed he was owed more than £17 million ($21 million) by Juventus. The Court of Arbitration ruled in the player’s favor, ordering Juve to pay what Cristiano would have received after tax and other deductions.
The veteran striker joined the Italian outfit in a shocking move from Real Madrid in 2018, spending three years in Turin before he returned to Manchester United in the summer of 2021 for a second stint at Old Trafford.
In his three seasons in Italy, Ronaldo helped the Old Lady win two Scudettos (Serie A titles) as well as two Supercoppa Italiana trophies and a Coppa Italia.
Ronaldo making fortunes late in his career
Ronaldo’s recent legal battle won against his former club will see even more money come his way, increasing the striker’s wealth. According to Forbes, Ronaldo was the world’s highest-paid sportsman in 2023, with earnings of $135.59 million.
While his second chapter with Manchester United didn’t go to plan, it let Cristiano try a new adventure by joining Al-Nassr early in 2023. That way, he’s spending the sunset years of his career in a less pressurized environment while bagging a lucrative salary.
According to journalist and transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano, Ronaldo’s guaranteed salary with the Saudi club is close to $95.8 million per season, rising to nearly $200m a year thanks to sponsorship deals.