Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo was once a Manchester United player. Francisco Seco / AP Photo
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo was once a Manchester United player. Francisco Seco / AP Photo

Cristiano Ronaldo hints on return to England football after frustration over tax probe



Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted he would like to return to England after revealing his frustration over an investigation into his tax returns.

The 32-year-old Real Madrid striker, who played for Manchester United between 2003 and 2009, has denied charges of evading tax and hiding details of his income from the Spanish tax authorities.

Prosecutors allege Ronaldo evaded €14.7 million (Dh63.5m) in tax.

The Portuguese claims that, contrary to the argument of the Public Prosecutor, the transfer of his image rights to a company he owned took place in 2004 and not in 2010 just after he joined Madrid.

Since 2015 the player said his image rights had been granted to an independent third party, registered in Spain, that pays tax for him.

The Public Prosecutor's charge is limited exclusively to tax on the amounts earned by the player in 2014 for granting his image rights for the years from 2011 to 2020.

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Ronaldo, who earlier this week appeared at magistrates court in a Madrid suburb to answer the charges, has reiterated his innocent plea.

He claims life was more straightforward in Manchester.

In quotes carried by Spanish newspaper Cadena Ser, Ronaldo said: "I never had this problem in England, that's why I'd like to go back.

"I remember when I arrived in England and they told me that that's how things worked. I went to Manchester as an 18-year-old and they advised me this was the best system I could use, just like the other players did. In Spain they told me I'd have to pay more but that there'd be no problems.

"I've always paid what I've had to pay."

Ronaldo has scored more than 400 goals for Primera Liga champions Real since arriving in 2009 and he won three Premier League titles and the Uefa Champions League with United.

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2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

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10. Reduce inequality  within and among countries

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development

ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures

October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA

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New Zealand T20 squad: Tim Southee (captain), Finn Allen, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Will Young 

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2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred

3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC  

4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.

5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.

6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security

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