Money not the reason behind my sadness: Ronaldo

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has said that money is not the reason he felt 'sad' after failing to celebrate his two goals against Granada Sunday

The striker's words have sparked speculation that he is looking to renew his contract with Real Madrid at the start of his fourth season in the club, reports Xinhua.

Ronaldo earns around 12 million euros a year at Real Madrid, but recent signings, such as that of Didier Drogba for Shanghai Shenhua mean that he has dropped to tenth in the list of top-earning footballers.

"That I am feeling sad and have expressed this sadness has created a huge stir. I am accused of wanting more money, but one day it will be shown that this is not the case," said a statement posted on Ronaldo's facebook page. "At this point I just want to guarantee to the Real Madrid fans that my motivation, dedication, commitment and desire to win all competitions will not be affected. I have too much respect for myself and for Real Madrid to ever give less to the club than all I am capable of."