BOGOTA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Colombia head coach Carlos Queiroz is the latest high-profile football identity to offer to take a pay cut during the coronavirus crisis.
The president of the Colombian Football Federation (FCF), Ramon Jesurun, confirmed the gesture on Friday, without revealing the percentage of the reduction.
"Mr Queiroz and his backroom staff ... very generously offered to lower their salaries," the Colombiano newspaper quoted Jesurun as saying. "It's something that he wanted to do and that we're really grateful for."
Most major football competitions - including South America's 2022 World Cup qualifying tournament - have been suspended indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FCF's announcement came less than a week after Lionel Messi and his FC Barcelona teammates reduced their salaries by 70% to ensure all of the Spanish club's employees were paid during the recess.
Football legend Diego Maradona, now the head coach of Gimnasia La Plata, told the Argentinian Superliga side on Thursday that he was willing to reduce his wages.
The squads of Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich have also agreed to pay cuts to help their clubs.
Queiroz was appointed Colombia's head coach in February 2019, replacing Argentinian Jose Pekerman, who had held the role for almost seven years.
The 67-year-old Portuguese previously managed Real Madrid and the national teams of Portugal and Iran.
