Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
Brazilian icon Ronaldo has given players from his La Liga club iPhones and flight tickets as a reward after a key victory in their relegation fight.
Brazil legend Ronaldo, 43, awarded the gifts to players from Real Valladolid after their 2-1 victory over Espanyol on Sunday 23rd February with reports just now surfacing.
Local media report Ronaldo gifted the players one of the latest iPhones and two flights to be used after the season as an incentive to help keep the club, which Ronaldo is the majority owner and actin president of, in the Spanish top-flight.
Valladolid sit in 15th in La Liga on 29 points, just seven points ahead of 18th-placed Mallorca who are in the relegation zone.
The victory was key in the fight to secure the club’s place in La Liga as Espanyol are bottom of the league and the win helped create a buffer between Valladolid and the relegation zone.
Local media report this is not the first time the former Real Madrid striker has done something like this to give his players incentive after a victory.
He reportedly paid for the team to go on holiday in the popular Spanish island of Ibiza after they mathematically secured their place in the Spanish top-flight last year.
Valladolid have since suffered a 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad who are two points from qualifying for the Champions League next season.
The club are set to face Athletic Bilbao at home on Sunday 8th March.
Ronaldo became the majority owner of Valladolid in September of 2018 after he bought former club president Carlos Suarez’s stock for a reported 30 million EUR (27.49 million GBP).
He is also the acting president of the club.
Ronaldo’s arrival to Valladolid in 2018 coincided with the club’s promotion to La Liga as they finished in the 16th position last year.
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