5 times Cristiano Ronaldo let Real Madrid down in 2017

#5 Contract haggles

Ronaldo's contract haggles have become a customary feature of every Real Madrid season

In November 2016, Ronaldo signed a new deal with Real Madrid till June 2021. “I carry this club in my heart, it is part of me and it is a special time in my life,” said Ronaldo. “I want to continue rewriting history at this club.”

Yet as we know, contracts signed by players like Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar tend to be simply glorified salary hike agreements. The length of the contract tends to mean little.

Sure enough, the rumours of him wanting out started as early as preseason, as a response to accusations of tax fraud. Later, Perez’s ill-advised praise of Neymar seemingly caused a new tantrum, with reports suggesting Ronaldo asked his lawyers to negotiate with Real Madrid to lower his 1 billion euros release clause. Ronaldo’s typical cryptic comments don’t help squash such rumours either. “I don’t want to renew. I am happy as I am.”

Ronaldo’s contract haggles have become a customary feature of every Real Madrid season – perhaps that’s the price you need to pay to have the 5 time Ballon d'Or winner in your team.