Ronaldo's mom in trouble with the law

Madrid - The mother of Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest-paid footballer in the world, was stopped by Spain's civil guard from returning home to Portugal with €55 000 in her handbag, it emerged on Monday.

Dolores Aveiro, the Real Madrid star's 61-year-old mother, had been waiting to take a flight out of Madrid late April when her hand luggage was inspected and the cash discovered, said a spokesperson for the Civil Guard said.

The €55 000 was way over the €10 000 that passengers are allowed to take out of Spain without declaring the transfer.

The offending €45 000 were seized, pending justification for it from Aveiro, the spokesperson said on Monday.

Ronaldo's mother, who is very close to the Portuguese international, committed no offence but merely an infraction, she added.

Ronaldo is the highest-paid footballer in the world, according to Forbes magazine, which estimated his 2014 income at about €46m.