Blatter: Ronaldo worth the money

Eurosport - Fri, 12 Jun 22:08:00 2009

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has dismissed concerns over Real Madrid's world record offer for Cristiano Ronaldo, saying it demonstrated the game's enduring popularity.

FOOTBALL joseph blatter fifa president - 0

Blatter has in the past spoken out about the huge sums of money in the game.

But he told a news conference in Johannesburg he saw nothing wrong with the 24-year-old FIFA World Player of the Year's proposed £80 million move from Manchester United, which is still to be finalised.

UEFA President Michel Platini said on Thursday the bid for the Portuguese winger was excessive when football was facing severe challenges during a global recession.

Other sports officials also criticised the amount.

But Blatter said: "What does £80 million mean when 10 years ago another player with the same name (Ronaldo of Brazil) moved from one club to another for $50 million?

"It means that there is still a demand to have the stars."

Blatter added: "We are in a very sensitive market, in an economic crisis, but football remains a fantastic product, not just to buy or sell but a product that gives people what they want - emotions. They want the stars.

"Ten years ago a painting from Picasso's Blue Period was sold by Sothebys in London for over £100 million. And what happened to the painting?

"They hid it somewhere so no-one could take it away. Nobody can see it. But you can see a football player once or twice a week, he is there, he is a star. You might say it is too much, but you have to put it in context of what football in our society is worth and what other things in our society are worth."

Reuters

Comment 39 - 58 of 58

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  1. I think cr9 is the best player at the moment and if any­ of u I stupid don't liked is because u don't­ know anything about soccer

    From zineb, on Tue 16 Jun 1:25AM

  2. I think Ronaldo is overvalued, how can one man be worth­ that much especially in this financial climate!­ Spain's unemployment is sky high at the moment, yet­ 80Million is spent on a single man, I just think that­ 80 million could be better spent!

    From Sohail, on Mon 15 Jun 2:49PM

  3. Love him or hate, Liverpool have never had a player in­ his class on their books.

    From , on Mon 15 Jun 5:55AM

  4. Dante, why have you put an apostrophe in­ "bikinis"? You knuckle head. I bet Blatter­ can spell better than that!

    From Jelly, on Mon 15 Jun 1:44AM

  5. How can that prima-donna winking cheat be worth 80­ million quid? Come on Fergie - show us that you are­ above all this c-rap and donate the money to hospital­ for sick children. Football used to be fun - now­ it's just business. Everybody has their nose in the­ trough - Blat included - and sod the fans.

    From Jelly, on Mon 15 Jun 1:42AM

  6. there goes again Sepp Blatter the Swiss knuckle head­ !! A few years ago this idiot seriously suggested­ that he wanted to see cheer leaders in bikini's at­ football stadiums and that would have been a good thing­ for the game of football.

    From dante, on Sun 14 Jun 11:32PM

  7. there goes again sepp blatter the knuckle head !!

    From dante, on Sun 14 Jun 11:17PM

  8. wish him the best but right nowam about making money­ for myself cant be bothered with these transfers cos­ its not my money anyways............football transfers­ is become sickening

    From EkhatorE, on Sun 14 Jun 8:03PM

  9. Blatter, its time for you to go, you're already­ loosing touch with reality. Shame

    From OlaHisgrace, on Sun 14 Jun 7:46PM

  10. Of course Blatter is going to say that CR is worth the­ money.FIFA have their noses in the trough and will­ benefit from this transaction if only in a roundabout­ way!

    From Perry Neeham, on Sun 14 Jun 2:30PM

  11. NO DOUBT TO HEAR THIS FROM SEPP BLATTER. HE HAS NEVER­ LIKED MANU UTD. HE HAS IN THE PAST BEEN SAYING VERY­ DIRTY THINGS ABOUT MANU. IF C. RONALDO WAS MOVING FROM­ ANOTHER CLUB OTHER THAN MANU, SEPP BLATTER WOULD CRYOUT­ FAUL PLAY THAT THE MONEY IS THREE MUCH. THIS MAN SHOULD­ BE REMOVED FROM THE STAGE OF FOOTBALL. HE'S NOT A­ REALISTIC PERSON.

    From peter, on Sun 14 Jun 2:09PM

  12. My personal opinion which might just be wrong: Consider­ putting persons with lots of sense in sensitive­ positions. We are forced to read virtually everything­ these guys say. It surely won't hurt if most of­ those things make some sense. Now they don't.

    From Gabriel, on Sun 14 Jun 1:15PM

  13. How can you publish comment 40? Isn't it insulting?­ But one my comment is refused even if I hadn't used­ such word like "idiot". I just expressed my­ opinion about PL in a very polite way.

    From svetlana.vasiljevic12, on Sun 14 Jun 12:39PM

  14. Comparing Ronaldo to Picasso is something of a novelty,­ I should say. Quite original.

    From Danymontin, on Sun 14 Jun 12:37PM

  15. So ..if Ronaldo worth 80 mln. then messi worth 160 mln.­ or 200 mln. :)))

    From donidonny, on Sun 14 Jun 12:33PM

  16. Spanish league is home for skillful players like Kaka­ and other players from Brazil and Argentina. English­ league is totally different. Anyway, tastes are­ different and there is no point do discuss which of­ them are better. SL big clubs are more attractive to­ watch. Especially, Barcelona. Real M. is the biggest­ club in the world. And we shouldn't forget that­ Premier league "big four" exist only 3 or 4­ years and because they have been sold to people who­ invested a lot of money in clubs. Before that happened­ some other clubs were dominant in Champions league.­ Money now makes the difference. It's sad that clubs­ with no money have nothing to hope for in Champions­ league. Something should be changed.

    From svetlana.vasiljevic12, on Sun 14 Jun 12:32PM

  17. So..if Ronaldo worth 80 mln. then messi worth 160 mln.­ or maybe 200 mln. :)))

    From donidonny, on Sun 14 Jun 12:31PM

  18. if a british club had paid the money out then blatter­ would have had summat to say about it!!!platini is­ right its stupid and unfair that a select few clubs­ should price the others out of the market, eventually­ it will ruin some clubs trying to compete but football­ has sold its soul to big business and cash, as with­ business there is now no loyalty and honour in football­ its all about greed and that includes fifa and uefa­ there the worst of the lot just look how many non­ champions play in the champs league so they can get­ more revenue from games and sell there brand worldwide

    From gus h, on Sun 14 Jun 12:31PM

  19. well La Liga is reduced to 2 matches Barca - Madrid­ home and away take your pick

    From Tim B, on Sun 14 Jun 12:23PM

  20. Blatter is such an idiot.... i can't wait till the­ next Fifa presidential elections....

    From chukwuekuakinyemi, on Sun 14 Jun 12:13PM
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