Ronaldo buys his agent Greek island as a wedding gift

  • By Jacob Bogage The Washington Post
  • Tuesday, August 4, 2015 5:04pm
  • SportsSports

Remember a month ago when Greece was about to fall off a fiscal cliff into the Mediterranean Sea? Remember when it had to raise 50 billion euros ($55 billion) to pay off debts, so it decided to sell off public assets?

Of course you do. And so does soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, who decided to buy an island the country put up for sale, and gifted it to his agent as a wedding present on Sunday, according to Portuguese news Web site Move Noticias and Spanish sports news site Mundo Deportivo.

Ronaldo, a forward for Real Madrid, made 72.9 million euros ($80 million) last year, according to Forbes. He’s the second-most valuable athlete behind controversial boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

It’s not clear which island Ronaldo purchased, but Greece put about a dozen islands up for sale, plus several mainland swaths of land, along with public utilities like its mail service, Athens’ sewage company, major highways and Olympic stadiums.

A crowdfunding campaign to contribute to Greece’s international bailout — its third in five years, raised more than 200,000 euros ($219,000), which is “heartwarming,” the campaign organizer wrote online.

Even more heartwarming: when the best man at your wedding gives you a island.

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