Cristiano Ronaldo Reportedly Set for New Real Madrid Contract Before World Cup

Real Madrid reportedly want to get star forward Cristiano Ronaldo tied down to a new contract before this summer's FIFA World Cup. 

According to Manu Sainz of AS, while there have been some doubts about the 33-year-old's long-term future at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Portugal international has recently made it clear he wants to sign a new deal in the Spanish capital

"Sources close to Real Madrid estimate that Ronaldo could go from earning €21 million net to a figure of around €30 million plus a further €2 million in add-ons," Sainz reported. "It would place him closer to the €35 million salary which Neymar earns at PSG...but he would still be a way off matching the €45 million salary which Lionel Messi takes home."

Sainz also wrote that Madrid want their No. 7 to sign the contract before heading to the World Cup in Russia and that Los Blancos won't extend Ronaldo's deal beyond 2021.

It's tough to argue against giving Ronaldo a pay rise, as he continues to cement his legacy as one of football's all-time greats.

This season, the former Manchester United man started slower than usual. But since the turn of the year, he's been in spectacular form for Zinedine Zidane's side. As Eurosport UK relayed, he's enjoying one of the best goal gluts of his career:

What's made the run even more impressive is the point in the campaign it's come at, as Ronaldo's goals have given Madrid a chance of finishing the season on a high.

While Los Blancos' chances of retaining La Liga are gone, they are still the team to beat in the UEFA Champions League. They have made it to the semi-final of that competition, where they are set to face Bayern Munich. Madrid will be confident of winning it for a third time in a row.

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Ronaldo has been crucial to the team's progress. In the quarter-finals, he showed his class, scoring a stunning overhead kick against Juventus in the first leg before slotting the decisive penalty in the second leg to send Madrid through.

As football writer Ben Lyttleton noted, Ronaldo kept his cool under incredible pressure in that moment:

There's no doubt Ronaldo's style has changed since moving to Madrid in 2009. He's no longer an enterprising winger full of flicks and tricks; he's evolved into the perfect penalty-box striker, using his acceleration, power and technique to finish off chances so consistently.

Given his continued influence on the biggest games, Ronaldo deserves to be in the same wage bracket as Neymar and Messi. Madrid supporters will hope a fresh contract will put an end to any lingering rumours their star man might be on the move this summer.