Messi, Ronaldo make major coronavirus relief donations
Two of the biggest names in the sports world are making sizable donations in hopes of fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
Barcelona star Lionel Messi is donating one million euros that will be split between the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona and another medical center in Argentina, the Hospital Clínic announced Tuesday.
While Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes are funding three intensive care units for coronavirus patients at hospitals in Portugal by contributing one million euros in relief, according to the Associated Press.
The Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Porto said that the unit will be named after Ronaldo and Mendes at a later date.
The spread of the coronavirus has all but halted the entire sports world, stopping both Juventus’ and Barcelona’s seasons, among other teams.
As of Tuesday evening, in Ronaldo’s native Portugal, there are more than 2,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19, causing more than 30 deaths.
Spain currently has the fourth-most confirmed cases worldwide (nearly 40,000 cases), causing nearly 3,000 deaths.
Messi’s native Argentina has just over 300 confirmed cases as of Tuesday evening, causing six deaths.