Football
18th Oct 2016
Darragh Murphy
Many players have been accused of stealing a living and the weekly wages of most beggar belief, while more than a few are paid to simply sit on the bench.
One player who was not content to play that role is former Manchester United right back Rafael da Silva, who outright refused to accept his wages while injured.
Rafael, who is currently plying his trade with Ligue 1 outfit Lyon, suffered a tear to his thigh muscle last season and did not want to be paid while he was unable to offer anything to his team on the pitch.
The Brazilian defender contacted the club, asking for his payment to be withheld until he was fit again and able to continue helping out the side but, being an employee and having signed a contract to receive a weekly wage, he was told that it was not possible.
Then he came up with a great idea.
Rather than sit idly by and watch his bank balance swell, Rafael decided to donate his wages to Lyon’s charity, the OL Foundation, which funded a mobile robot that allowed sick children to engage with matchday activities from their hospital beds.
“I like to play and I like to be paid for doing that, but I wasn’t playing,” Rafael told L’Equipe. “I’m happy to have done that for the kids, but it was good for me too. It helped me.”
He’s definitely one of football’s good guys.
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