Ronaldo Angry With Transfermarkt For Valuing Him Lower Than What He Thinks He Is Worth

Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly expressed dismay and annoyance over Transfermarkt's €75 million ($83.7 million) market valuation of him. Members of the Transfermarkt team have explained how the Portuguese footballer questioned and blocked them on social media.

In March 2020, Transfermarkt published "Jorges Mendes XI" on Instagram and listed out the players with the most net worth represented by the Portuguese agent. Ronaldo, who was playing under Juventus during that year, was estimated at €75 million ($83.7 million). They ranked him fourth in Serie A, behind Christian Eriksen, Lautaro Martinez, and Juventus team-mate Paulo Dybala.

Transfermarkt's United Kingdom manager, Daniel Busch, told The Athletic, "We put a list on Instagram with 10 players, 33 and older, and Ronaldo was still in first place in value, but he said he must be worth much more."

His colleague Christian Schwartz also added, "He sent a message first to our social media guys. They answered him, explained why, and told him, 'The people in your age group, you are by far the number one'."

"It was £30-50 million difference (between Ronaldo and the next player on the list), and then he sent some smilies, and then he blocked us," he added.

Transfermarkt listed most expensive player of the "Jorge Mendes XI" naming Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, who was valued at €100 million ($111.6 million) at the time. Transfermarkt is a website that employs over 80 people and has more than 1000 volunteers working for it, and they evaluate information and research to come up with a number they feel matches a player's net worth.

However, a year after the graphic was published, Ronaldo was transferred from Juventus to Manchester United, costing just £20 million ($26.8 million), with a score of 14 goals in 24 games so far this season. Ronaldo was also valued the same as Romelu Lukaku during that time, with the Belgian signing a £97.5 million ($130.7 million) with a move to Chelsea in the same transfer window last summer.

Still, Ronaldo is valued highly by Manchester United with £480,000 ($643,700) a week, a £100,000 ($134,000) more than the Red Devils' next highest earner David De Gea.