Bernardo Silva has revealed it was Cristiano Ronaldo’s idea for the Portugal squad to donate 50 percent of their qualification bonus for Euro 2020 to help during the coronavirus pandemic.
The team received the bonus as a result of their success in reaching the tournament, which was due to be played this summer.
It will now take place next year as a result of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
In an interview with Bleacher Report Silva was asked how Ronaldo behaved on WhatsApp, after Silva’s teammate Kyle Walker said he sometimes deletes the midfielder from group chats.
But in reference to Ronaldo, Silva said: “He’s more calm.
“Actually he was the one, two or three days ago, that gave us the idea to donate our bonus.
“So we qualified to the 2020 Euros, which now is in 2021.
“And he gave us the idea let’s donate part of our bonus, so I think our national team, our players will donate 50 percent of our qualifying bonus.
“And yeah, he’s been very active sending us messages, but not kicking people out like Kyle.”
That bonus will go to the fund created by the Portugal Football Federation Federation to help non-professional clubs stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A statement from the Portuguese Federation later confirmed: “In this spirit of camaraderie between professional and non-professional football, we have decided, as a team, to give up part of our Euro 2020 qualification prize money.
“We have also decided, because we have not forgotten our own paths and all those who have generously helped us to make progress in our careers, that these amounts will be added to the support fund already created by the FPF (Portuguese federation) aimed mainly at players from non-professional competition clubs.”
During the interview, Silva also opened up on his City future, and said he is fully committed to the club for the next few years, but would like to return to Benfica one day.
When asked about if he would consider leaving City, he added: “I don’t know how to answer that. What I can tell you is not in one, two, there, four years for sure because I am in a great club.
“I am enjoying my career a lot, I don’t want to go back now but I don’t want to go when I’m too old.
“I want to go help my team when I am in a good physical condition. I don’t know the exact age – not too old but not now.”
Credit: Source link