Cristiano Ronaldo will not be punished by Manchester United after reports that he shattered an Everton fan’s phone.
According to The Sun, the club has accepted the Portuguese superstar’s social media apology and is no longer investigating the issue.
After Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park on Saturday, footage showed the former Real Madrid star knocking a phone out of a boy’s hand as he made his way to the tunnel.
Merseyside Police are investigating the incident after a woman claimed her autistic son was ‘assaulted’ and had his phone shattered by the 37-year-old.
The reported fight that occurred after United departed the pitch after the match, according to Sarah Kelly, marred Jacob Harding’s first trip to see Everton.
Miss Kelly, from Upton, Merseyside, said her 14-year-old son’s hand was injured after Ronaldo pushed the phone from his grasp as the kid attempted to film the United star’s leg wound.
Ronaldo has now apologized for his “outburst” and asked the youngster to witness a game at Old Trafford, but Miss Kelly said the incident has made Jacob hesitant of attending another football match.
‘We were right beside the tunnel where they came walking past – my son was videotaping them all,’ she explained. Then he put down his phone because Ronaldo’s sock had come undone and his leg was bleeding.
He didn’t even talk as he dropped his phone to see what it was. Ronaldo then simply strolled through, smacked the phone out of my son’s hand, and continued going.’
Miss Kelly photographed Jacob’s damaged hand and shattered phone screen, according to her.
‘You can see by the bruise that he’s made contact,’ the 36-year-old continued. I was crying and shaking, and Jacob was in great disbelief — he’s autistic and has dyspraxia, so he didn’t fully get what was going on until we got home. He’s furious, and it’s absolutely deterred him from attending the game again.
‘Ronaldo is a major figure. My son has always said, “Ronaldo will be there” – he’s a legend. I might understand if Jacob was waving it in his face, but he wasn’t close to his face; instead, he was assessing his injuries on the floor. As a mother, I see him as an autistic boy who has been assaulted by a football player.’