Ronaldo wins UEFA Best Player in Europe award

FIFA pay panel to meet next week to set Gianni Infantino’s salary

After six months of working without a contract, FIFA President Gianni Infantino is set to get a pay deal.

FIFA said yesterday that its newly appointed compensation panel will meet next week to work on setting the salary for Infantino and other top officials.

Infantino has worked without a pay deal since being elected on Feb. 26 to head world soccer’s governing body, and described an offer of $2 million without bonuses as insulting.

Last year, then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter got a $3 million basic salary in a contract which also paid him tens of millions more in World Cup and long-service bonuses.

Infantino’s pay dispute increased tension between him and thenFIFA audit committee chairman Domenico Scala, who resigned in protest in May. FIFA said the compensation panel chaired by Scala’s replacement, Slovenian state auditor Tomaz Vesel, will meet Wednesday.

The panel includes FIFA finance committee chairman Issa Hayatou and a newly appointed third member. FIFA says that is German Real Madrid and Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award for the second time.

Ronaldo, 31, claimed the prize ahead of his club team-mate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann.

The forward, who first won the award in 2014, scored the winning spot-kick as Madrid beat Atletico in the Champions League final on penalties in May, having already scored 16 goals in the competition, in just 12 games.

And Ronaldo then went on to help Portugal to their first international title with victory at the Euros, scoring three goals during the tournament.

The former Manchester United star scored a total of 54 goals in La Liga, the Champions League and the European Championship, far outstripping his rivals.

“It’s a great honour and thanks to the journalists for voting for me,” lawyer Peter Braun, a partner in the Frankfurt office of international law firm Dentons.

The panel must also agree annual pay for FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura. Scala had previously decided that the CEO-like post should get a higher salary than the president.

Payments to FIFA Council members, who currently get a basic annual he said.

”My team-mates are the key they are the key every year. I work hard myself but without the help of my team-mates this would not be possible. Thanks to my teammates from Real Madrid and Portugal.”

”I have to mention Portugal because it was the first in their history. It was different because I’ve won the Champions League three times. To win something with Portugal was the highlight of my career.”

Bale netted 19 league goals and also played a key role in guiding Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 while Griezmann helped France to the final on home turf, scoring six goals in addition to the 29 he had bagged for his club.

Ronaldo will now hope to be crowned the best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or ceremony at the end of the year, with Lionel Messi the current holder of the prize. stipend of $300,000, must also be approved by the compensation panel.

Blatter’s pay was a long-held secret by FIFA until it was finally revealed in March after he left office.

Infantino has pledged to announce all details of his earnings as part of modernizing and anti-corruption reforms agreed by FIFA in February.