Soccer pros are amongst some of the highest-paid athletes in the world (which you already know if you wager on them in soccer betting). Their incomes allow many players to give back to society in significant ways. Here’s a look at three professional players who have contributed incredible amounts of their time, energy and money to helping those in need.
Cristiano Ronaldo
There was a time when you didn’t need soccer betting tips to know Ronaldo was going to win. Even today, the soccer star continues to deliver incredible performances against many much younger players, which is why he is still one of the highest-paid professional soccer players in the world. Ronaldo has received some fantastic paychecks and sponsorships – it’s certainly heartwarming to know that he contributes so much of it so generously!
- Ambassador for major charities: In order to bring attention to their causes, Ronaldo became an ambassador for three charities – Save the Children, Unicef and World Vision.
- Fighting against COVID-19: When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, he donated approximately $1.22 million to hospitals in Portugal to help them purchase the necessary medical equipment and medicine to combat the disease.
- Paid for a child’s brain surgery: The Daily Mail covered the moving story of how a family reached out to Ronaldo and asked him to donate his boots and a shirt, which they could then auction off to help pay for their child’s surgery. This surgery was necessary to treat the child’s neurological disorder which was causing him to have epileptic fits. Instead, the mega-star decided to pay for the child’s entire treatment, which cost more than $80,000.
- Paid for cancer patients’ medical treatment: In 2009, Ronaldo heard the story of Nuhuzet Guillen, a young boy with terminal cancer. He helped fund the boy’s treatment – even though, sadly, the patient didn’t make it. More recently, Ronaldo also reportedly helped a young boy called Tomas by covering the costs of his medical treatments for neuroblastoma.
- Tips generously: News reports have shared how Ronaldo tipped staff at the Costa Navarino resort in the region of $21,000 to $26,000 for the period of his stay (although it may have been a very generous thank you for keeping the paparazzi away.)
This is just a small number of the charitable acts that Ronaldo has made, clearly indicating that he puts the millions he earns to good use.
David Beckham
David Beckham – a soccer star who is one of the world’s most instantly recognizable celebrities – is also known for his many great acts of generosity.
- Ambassador and fundraiser for UNICEF: While his ambassador role for UNICEF is undoubtedly incredibly important, the retired star also created a fund called 7 to help children in various countries worldwide. He has played an incredibly active role in many other UNICEF projects aimed at tackling issues like malnutrition, violence against children and HIV/AIDS.
- Founding member and ambassador for Malaria No More: Malaria is still a problem in many parts of the world. Beckham has lent his voice to Malaria No More, an organization that hopes to eliminate this deadly disease.
- Founded the Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust with his wife: This trust aims to support sick and disabled children in numerous ways, such as providing wheelchairs to those in need.
- Provided support to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children: Two tickets to a World Cup party were auctioned off on eBay. The sale raised a total of $185,500 for the charity.
- Donated various clothing items with his wife to support those affected by a typhoon in the Philippines: The power couple donated clothes – including some high-end brand items – to a Red Cross auction to help raise funds for those affected by a typhoon that had struck the Philippines.
Beckham’s charitable acts don’t stop there. He’s assisted other charities, including Help for Heroes, Save the Elephants and many other organizations, in various ways.
Neymar
Neymar is the youngest player on this list, but that doesn’t mean he’s immature about his spending. He supports numerous charities and has done so for many years:
- Founded the Neymar Jr. Institute: Neymar founded this charity to assist families in Praia Grande with low education and income levels and are affected by other issues like crime and drug use.
- Donated about $950,000 towards COVID-19 aid and support funds: Goal.com reported how an anonymous donation of almost $950,000 turned out to be a donation from Neymar. The funds were sent to UNICEF and a benefit fund in Brazil.
- Ambassador for Handicap International: Neymar added his support to Handicap International, a charity focused on helping disabled people from developing countries.
- Helped boost access to clean water in Brazil: The soccer star also partnered with Waves for Water and PayPal to help bring clean water to many communities in Brazil. While donations were welcome, Men’s Journal shared how Neymar signed multiple items of soccer gear for auction on eBay, with all proceeds going towards the charity project.
- Donated his cleats to an auction to help those in need in São Paulo: Neymarjr.com shared how the player donated the cleats that he wore in 2012 – one of the most successful years in his career – to the auction Assistência de Craque. Money from this auction would be shared amongst athletes, referees and many others affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As with the other generous souls in the soccer community, Neymar also regularly contributes to other causes. However, it is believed that many of these donations are kept private due to his humble nature.
A big thank you to the many charitable souls in the professional soccer world
While we have focused on only three stars, many other generous individuals in the professional soccer community go above and beyond to help those in need. There are simply too many to mention here, but countless soccer players have committed their time, energy and money to make the world a better place.
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