Blatter defends Ronaldo fee

Real Madrid’s world-record bid to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu has been defended by the FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Speaking in South Africa ahead of the Confederations Cup, which is set to kick off on Sunday, the football supremo dismissed any fears over the Spanish giants’ £80m bid for the Manchester United midfielder, insisting that it proved the game’s ever-improving popularity.