Ronaldo Needs Just 38.6 Seconds to Pay €255 Fine as Carvalho Faced a One-Year Ban

According to reports, nearly three weeks after leaving Portugal’s national team camp in Denmark, captain Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a 30-day suspension. This means he will be eligible to feature in Portugal’s November international fixtures, provided head coach Jorge Jesus includes him in the squad. Ronaldo has also been fined an additional €255, a negligible amount compared with his annual salary at Saudi club Al-Nassr.



Let’s do the math. Following his contract extension with the Saudi club, Ronaldo earns a base salary of approximately €208 million per year. Including bonuses, his total annual earnings could reach close to €250 million!

The conclusion is straightforward: Ronaldo needs just 38.6 seconds of earnings to cover the €255 fine imposed by the Portuguese Football Federation’s Disciplinary Committee. As a percentage, the fine represents just 0.00012% of the 41-year-old superstar’s annual salary.Ricardo Carvalho Received a Much Harsher

Punishment

The most recent comparable case involving the Portuguese national team concerned Ricardo Carvalho. In August 2011, on the eve of a match against Cyprus, the centre-back left Portugal’s training camp in Óbidos without a valid reason after realizing he would not be in the starting lineup for the European Championship qualifiers.

At the time, Carvalho was handed a one-year suspension from the Portuguese national team. Initially, he had even faced the prospect of a harsher punishment, with a potential ban of up to 24 months. However, the federation ultimately decided to reduce the sanction.



The Portuguese Football Federation stated at the time: “Taking into account the player’s previous sporting career, the Portuguese Football Federation has decided to impose a one-year suspension from the national team on Ricardo Carvalho, while also withdrawing any bonuses he might have been entitled to receive following Portugal’s qualification for the final tournament of Euro 2012.”

Carvalho was not fined on that occasion. He did not return to the national team until Fernando Santos took charge three years later, subsequently representing Portugal at Euro 2016.

At least in terms of duration, Carvalho’s punishment was considerably more severe than Ronaldo’s current sanction. However, it is important to note that the maximum penalty under the regulations applicable to Carvalho at the time was higher, allowing for a suspension of up to two years. In Ronaldo’s case, the maximum suspension was six months, and mitigating circumstances ultimately led to a reduction in the ban.