Cristiano Ronaldo: Man Utd striker was warned by police for allegedly slapping the boy’s phone with his hand | Football news

Cristiano Ronaldo has been warned by police after footage emerged of the Manchester United striker appearing to smash a phone from an Everton fan’s hand after a game at Goodison Park.

Merseyside Police said in a statement: “We can confirm that a 37-year-old man voluntarily attended and has been interviewed cautiously in connection with allegations of assault and criminal damage.

“The allegation relates to an incident following the football match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park on Saturday 9 April.

“The matter has been handled in a conditional prudent manner. The matter has now been concluded.”

The warning is not a criminal sentence, serves as a formal warning that can be used as evidence of bad faith if the person goes to court for another crime in the future.

Police launched an investigation after a video went viral online of Ronaldo shoving the boy’s phone out of his hand as he limped towards the tunnel.

The fan’s mother previously claimed her 14-year-old son Jake Harding was “bruised” and “absolutely shocked” by the incident.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo at the time, Sarah Kelly said the teenager has autism and was “really sad” about what had happened, adding it had “completely stopped him playing” to join another match.

She also shared a picture of her son’s hand in the newspaper, which was red and bruised.

After the incident, the Portuguese striker apologized for his “outrage” and invited fans to watch a match at Old Trafford “as a sign of sportsmanship and fair-play”.

“It is never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments like the ones we are facing,” he wrote on Instagram.

“However, we must always respect, be patient and set an example for all young people who love the beautiful game.”