Manchester United forward, Cristiano Ronaldo has joined his voice to call for peace in the world amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
The 37-year-old Portuguese football icon who is regarded as the greatest footballer of all time by some football enthusiasts, took to his Instagram story on Saturday, February 26, to urge his followers to create a better world for the coming generation.
“We need to create a better world for our children. Praying for peace in our world”, Cristiano Ronaldo who is the most followed person on Instagram shared the message with his 407million Instagram followers.
Ronaldo’s message came amid the raging war in Eastern Europe between Russia and Ukraine which has been keeping the whole world talking, especially since Thursday, October 24, 2022.
Recall that on the said date, the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military to invade Ukraine. The military started the operation by launching missiles in some major cities in the country.
According to reports, the missiles have killed scores of people. The United Nations (UN) said on Friday that it has received reports of at least 127 civilian casualties, out of which 25 were killed and 102 injured. The casualties were a result of Russia’s airstrikes launched into Ukraine.
Despite the world outcry against the invasion, the Russian military are still advancing in their effort to take over the Ukrainian capital city, Kyiv.
How is the Russia and Ukraine crisis affecting football so far?
Before Cristiano Ronaldo reacted to the ongoing crisis, the European football governing body, UEFA, has had to move the venue of this season’s UEFA Champions League final from Russia’s St Petersburg to Paris, France over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
More so, Manchester United have had to pull out of the sponsorship deal of Russian airline Aeroflot due to the ongoing unrest in eastern Europe.
It has gotten so bad that the owner of Chelsea and Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich has had to step down from running the Premier League club due to the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine.
Before all that, football authorities in Ukraine have had to suspend the country’s professional league due to the raging war.
Stats of Cristiano Ronaldo and his contract with Manchester United
As Cristiano Ronaldo is calling for world peace, some of his critics are calling for him to consider retiring from football especially after he could not help Manchester United to beat relegation-threatened Watford.
The footballer who is now 37-year-old is gradually becoming a regular footballer due to his age and the overall form of Manchester United.
Despite that, Cristiano Ronaldo has managed to score 15 goals and provide three assists in 30 games in all competitions since he returned to the Premier League side in the 2021-2022 season.
The two years deal the Portuguese footballer signed with Manchester United reportedly earns him £480,000-per-week. The contract will expire on June 30, 2023.
Ronaldo who is currently in a relationship with Georgina Rodriguez is blessed with four children, Cristiano Jr., Eva, Mateo, and Martina. He is expecting his 5th and 6th children later this year.
