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Published 25 Jul, 2017 10:58am

Cristiano Ronaldo: 'I'm staying at Real Madrid'

Those reports were founded on his apparent feeling of abandonment by his club over his run-in with the Spanish tax authorities.

Ronaldo, 32, has been summoned to appear before a judge near Madrid on July 31 to answer four counts of evading 14.7 million euros ($16.8 million) in taxes.

The four-time Ballon d'Or winner has protested his innocence with O Globo saying he had threatened to leave Real over the investigation.

Since extending his contract last November until 2021, Ronaldo is the highest paid sports star in the world with $93 million (83m euro) in 2016-2017, according to Forbes magazine.

On Saturday Real manager Zinedine Zidane assured Real supporters that the superstar striker "was on holiday and would be back with us on (August) 5".

Ronaldo has been given leave to miss the club's pre-season US tour and Zidane, speaking in Los Angeles, insisted that he would be back at the club "on the fifth (of August) and I think he'll stay for the next two or three years he's got left with us."

In Tuesday's Marca interview Ronaldo also looked ahead to the 2018 World Cup with European champions Portugal.

"We still have to qualify but I'm hoping that Portugal can win an incredible title."

-AFP

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