Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has been fined €255 (approximately Dh1,050) and suspended for 30 days by the Portuguese Football Federation after leaving the national team camp without authorization. The disciplinary action comes amid ongoing tensions between Ronaldo and Portugal’s coaching staff.

In a show of support, British journalist Piers Morgan, a longtime admirer and friend of Ronaldo, offered to pay the fine. Morgan expressed his willingness on the social media platform X, where he posted, “I can help with the fine, @Cristiano,” accompanied by a thumbs-up emoji.

The €255 fine is a relatively minor penalty for Ronaldo, whose earnings far exceed typical footballer salaries. According to Forbes, the 41-year-old athlete’s annual income is estimated at around $300 million, a figure that includes both his club salary and endorsement deals. His base salary at Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr is reported to be approximately €208.4 million per year.

To put the fine into perspective, Ronaldo earns roughly €6.61 every second based on his Al Nassr contract, which means it would take him just 39 seconds of salary to cover the entire €255 penalty. This calculation was also noted by Portuguese media outlets.

Ronaldo’s departure from the national team camp without permission reportedly triggered the suspension and fine. The incident follows a period of public disagreements between Ronaldo and Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, highlighting ongoing friction within the national team setup.

The Portuguese Football Federation has yet to comment further on the matter beyond confirming the fine and suspension. Ronaldo’s representatives have not issued a statement regarding the punishment or Morgan’s offer to cover the fine.