For years, Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi were indelibly associated. The architects of Barcelona's modern-day golden age were twinned again on Tuesday when each gave €1 million (Dh3.97m) to aid efforts against Covid-19.
Guardiola’s money will go to the Barcelona Medical College, with Messi’s funds split between the Barcelona Hospital Clinic and causes in his native Argentina.
If both reflect the scale of the problems in Spain where, at the time of writing, there have been more than 49,000 cases of coronavirus, leading to over 3,600 deaths, Guardiola and Messi are not alone.
At roughly the same time, Cristiano Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes donated €1m to three intensive care units in Portugal. Each was following the lead of Robert Lewandowski who, with his wife Anna, had already pledged €1m.
Meanwhile, Liverpool players had grouped together to give £40,000 to a foodbank in the city before both Manchester clubs' squads gave £100,000 to its Mancunian equivalent.
Additionally, a large gift to a Glaswegian food bank apparently came from the Glaswegian Andrew Robertson while Marcus Rashford made what has been called the biggest donation of the year to Fareshare, a charity that provides food to children who would normally get free school meals.
Elsewhere, Sadio Mane donated $50,000 (Dh183,650) to Senegal’s national committee for fighting coronavirus.
Wilfried Zaha is letting healthcare professionals stay in 50 of his London properties rent free, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs opened their Manchester hotels to NHS workers, again free of charge, just as Chelsea offered their Millennium Hotel to them, with owner Roman Abramovich footing the bill.
Perhaps that is the tip of the iceberg. There are other donations – some private, some surely to follow – but what can be said is that many in football are recognising their place in society and their debt to it.
Plenty of clubs are paying casual matchday staff, members of the gig economy who lack the security of a regular salary and a contract, while the game is shut down.
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Sports stars, teams and owners donating in the fight against coronavirus
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Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert, who was the first NBA player to test positive for Covid-19, announced he would be donating $500,000 (Dh1.836 million) to various causes: $200,000 would be provided to game-day staff, while $100,000 will be donated to families impacted by the virus in Utah and Oklahoma City, and the other $100,000 will got to France, Gobert's home country. Reuters -
Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said two weeks before the NBA went into lockdown that "we have to take care of our part-time employees", although what those measures might be has not been made public. AFP -
After Brooklyn Nets player Spencer Dinwiddie tweeted that the organisation has to "take care of the non salary arena staff", team owner Joe Tsai said the Nets were putting a plan in place for the Barclays Center staff. AP -
Cleveland Cavaliers player Kevin Love was the first player in the NBA to donate money when he pledged $100,000 to staff at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse - the home of the Cavs. AFP -
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was quick to announce that all employees who work events and games at the American Airlines Center would be paid in full during the NBA lockdown. The Mavs also released a statement saying they will reimburse employees for breakfast and lunch bought at Dallas-area restaurants to both ease their financial burden while helping out local businesses. AFP -
Detroit Pistons player Blake Griffin said he would be donating $100,000 to the workers and employees who work at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. AFP -
Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry and his wife, Ayesha, announced they were partnering with a food bank to provide one million meals to students in Oakland who cannot attend school during the pandemic. The Warriors as a franchise, including owners, players and coaches, will contribute $1m to a relief fund for Chase Center employees. AFP -
Houston Astros player George Springer said he would donate $100,000 to employees at Minute Maid Park, where the Astros play their home games. AFP -
NBA teams Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers and NHL team LA Kings, who share the Staples Center, announced they have created a joint-fund to compensate all the part-time and contract staff that work at the arena for NBA and NHL games. Getty -
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo announced he and his family would be donating $100,000 to staff at the Fiserv Forum, tweeting: ""It's bigger than basketball". AFP -
Minnesota Timberwolves player Karl-Anthony Towns said he is pledging $100,000 to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to assist in the testing facilities for the coronavirus. AFP -
New Orleans Pelicans rookie star Zion Williamson said he would be covering the wages of all workers at Smoothie King Center for the next 30 days. "This is a small way for me to express my support and appreciation for these wonderful people who have been so great to me and my teammates," Williamson wrote on Instagram. Reuters -
Former NBA player Jeremy Lin said he was donating $300,000 in total: $150,000 was provided to Unicef and the same amount to China Foundation. AFP -
USA soccer star Kealia Ohai and husband JJ Watt, the NFL player, have donated $350,000 to Houston Food Bank. Getty -
Charlotte Hornets issued a statement on Sunday confirming that the franchise would be covering the salaries of all part-time workers at Spectrum Center who were scheduled to work any upcoming games that have since been cancelled. Reuters -
Chicago Bulls announced over the weekend that they and NHL team Chicago Blackhawks would pay game-day workers who will miss out due to cancelled NBA and NHL games. AP -
Indiana Pacers owner Herb Simon has said he has given financial aid to the part-time workers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse - the Pacers' home arena. Reuters -
Memphis Grizzlies said the franchise would be compensating all game-day employees for any games missed through the end of the year. AP -
Philadelphia 76ers have said the organisation will cover the wages of hourly and part-time workers at the Wells Fargo Center for cancelled games. AP -
Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis said that all stadium workers and employees will be paid through March 31 for any Wizards and Washington Capitals games they were scheduled to work. AFP
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Brighton are leading a campaign to give 100,000 free tickets to NHS workers when the crisis is over and football returns.
There are times when football appears in its own world, insulated from the problems of the real one.
It may serve as escapism for the rest of us, but some of its problems are those the vast majority would love to have. Within its own ecosystem, we can debate whether Player X is underpaid relative to Player Y. Compared to people who keep the health system working, however, they are all overpaid.
The change in economics is a reason the game has been distanced from its roots at the heart of communities.
Money can come indirectly, whether from owners or overseas television deals, from club commercial partners and private sponsors, and it is not as simple as saying salaries are funded by the tickets spectators buy on a weekend.
Yet football’s money comes from society in general and society has been brought to a halt. A globalised game has been halted by a global pandemic.
But it helped illustrate the difference football can make. Carlo Ancelotti’s phone call with Mark Cruise, an Everton fan with motor neurone disease, was heart-warming.
Everton, in fairness, have never deemed everything a money-making opportunity and it is certainly true many were aware of the social responsibilities that came with fame and fortune.
Many footballers have showed social consciences. Some have set up charitable foundations, though far too few signed up to Juan Mata's Common Goal project.
But at a time of crisis, when many others cannot afford to pay, it is heartening to see that so many of the wealthiest and most successful are helping out the less fortunate.
