Disclaimer: If reports of Cristiano Ronaldo's €7m donation to earthquake victims in Nepal restored your faith in humanity last week, exit this page instantaneously.
It appears that the story which appeared in French magazine 'So Foot,' which stated that the 2014 Ballon D'Or winner donated the sizeable sum - tinged with egotism, we were led to believe, in that it was chosen to match his shirt number - was only a load of crap.
Save The Children España have released a statement about the purported donation from its ambassador, and denied that it ever occurred. The statement translates roughly into English as the following:
The global ambassador for Save the Children, Cristiano Ronaldo, has used his voice and his global visibility to raise awareness of the problems that the most vulnerable children around the world, including those affected by the earthquake in Nepal, face.
The latest information on the donation of Cristiano Ronaldo to the emergency response of Save the Children in Nepal is false. After the second earthquake, which has even brought more devastation to the country, the NGO wants to thank Cristiano Ronaldo and other influential people for their support in publicising the situation which children and families in Nepal are in.
Ronaldo's representatives have been contacted for a response, but remain silent thus far.
The Real Madrid star has been conspicuous in his efforts to raise awareness for affected children in devastated Nepal:
Help the children affected by #NepalQuake by supporting @SavetheChildren’s relief efforts: http://t.co/yQdEv6XqkNpic.twitter.com/PsSMriqYj1
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) April 28, 2015
However, it appears that his 'donation' - through no fault of Ronaldo's own - is nothing but a rather convincing blag.
Thanks a lot, So Foot Magazine.