Cristiano Ronaldo Donates $83,000 to Pay for Sick Child's Operation

Cristiano Ronaldo went the extra mile with a wonderful gesture, paying for an operation for a young child with a neurological disorder.

The Portuguese footballer was asked to auction a pair of boots or similar in order to help meet the cost of surgery and care for Erik Ortiz Cruz, which was expected to run to around £55,000.

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#ayudemosaErik @CasillasWorld VAMOS A POR ELLO! TODOS LOS CONSEGUIREMOS! @TodoSomosErik pic.twitter.com/c6Brca4gp0

— Erik Ortiz Cruz (@TodoSomosErik) February 21, 2014"

Instead, according to the Daily Mail, Ronaldo simply footed the bill:

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Erik Ortiz Cruz suffers up to 30 epileptic fits a day and surgery is the only solution to his condition. 

The boy's family have been unable to meet massive hospital bills with each test carried out costing around £5,020 (6,000 euros) and surgery likely to run to £50,240 (60,000 euros).

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The Real Madrid forward has been linked with several acts of kindness in recent times, so this is not a one-off.

After winning the Ballon d'Or earlier in the year, the same report mentions that he honoured a promise to celebrate with a group of young children suffering with leukaemia.

This season, Ronaldo also took time out to plead for a pitch invader in America to be spared a jail term.

The charges against the young fan were dropped.