Juventus have been ordered by the Italian courts to pay Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo €9.7 million ($10.4 million) in unpaid wages for the 2020-21 season.
This decision came following Ronaldo’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration, which mandated Juventus to pay the exact sum of €9,774,166.66, along with additional interest and procedural costs.
The amount reflects the disparity between the salary Ronaldo received and what he was entitled to after tax and other deductions. Despite Ronaldo initially claiming €19.5 million, the arbitration panel decided to halve this figure.
When approached for comment by AFP, Juventus declined to provide a statement but indicated that they would release one shortly. According to Forbes’ rankings, Ronaldo was the highest-paid athlete globally in 2023, earning $136 million, including $46 million in wages.
Juventus, a publicly traded company, announced losses of €123.7 million for the 2022-23 financial year ending in June. Notably, the club has not allocated any funds in its financial statements to cover the outstanding wages owed to Ronaldo.
In 2018, Ronaldo made a highly-publicized move from Real Madrid to Juventus in a transfer valued at €117 million, with the aim of aiding the Italian club in clinching their first Champions League title since 1996.
Despite high expectations, Juventus faced disappointments in European competitions, prompting Ronaldo’s departure in 2021 to rejoin Manchester United for €17 million.
During his tenure in Italy, Ronaldo showcased his prowess by scoring 101 goals and providing 22 assists in 134 matches. Following his contentious departure from Manchester United, Ronaldo embarked on a new chapter with Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al-Nassr in early 2023, following an eventful stint that ended amid controversy sparked by an interview with Piers Morgan.
