Cristiano Ronaldo makes his World Cup 2022 bow with Portugal on Thursday.
Never far from the headlines at the best of times, the striker's name is on everyone's lips right now after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan ultimately led to his departure from Manchester United this week.
In the interview with Morgan, Ronaldo said that he did not respect coach Erik Ten Hag and claimed "zero progress" had been made at the club since he left for Real Madrid in 2009.
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A statement from the Old Trafford club this week confirmed the 37-year-old would be leaving with immediate effect.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect," it read.
"The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future.
"Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch."
Where Ronaldo ends up next is anyone's guess but he won't be short of offers - or indeed cash if he doesn't find immediate employment.
Ronaldo’s net worth stands at around $500m (£367m), making him one of the richest athletes in the world, while his career earnings to date have well exceeded the $1bn (£855m) mark after reaching that milestone back in 2020.
He makes a huge amount from endorsements and sponsorship deals. Between May 2021 and May 2022, the former Real Madrid and Juventus star took home $115m (£98.4m) according to Forbes, while around 40 per cent of his career earnings are through off-field deals.
He can also make up to $1.6m (£1.3m) for one post on Instagram, such is his following on social media. He has 477million followers on the photo sharing site.
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