Cristiano Ronaldo DOS SANTOS AVEIRO

Portugal

Football

Games Participations1

First Olympic GamesAthens 2004

Year of Birth1985

Social Media

Biography

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, or simply Cristiano Ronaldo, is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers to ever walk the planet.

Born on February 5, 1985, in Madeira, Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo hailed from a poor family and was the youngest of four siblings. His mother worked as a cook and cleaner while his father was a gardener.

Cristiano Ronaldo, from a young age, chose to pursue football as a career and started playing for local team Andorinha, where his father worked as a part-time kit man.

After three years with Andorinha and two more with Nacional, Cristiano Ronaldo was signed up by Sporting CP, one of the biggest clubs in Portugal, in 1997 after impressing during a trial with the Lisbon-based team.

Ronaldo had to move to Lisbon away from his family in Madeira to continue his development with Sporting’s youth system. At the age of 15, Ronaldo had to undergo surgery to correct racing heart.

The condition is a form of tachycardia which implies that someone’s resting heart rate was faster than normal. The issue could have ended Ronaldo’s football career permanently but the surgery was successful and there was no looking back.

He made his senior debut for Sporting at 17 in 2002 but didn’t stay at the club for long as he joined Premier League giants Manchester United a year later.

In fact, it was his performance against United during an exhibition match to mark the unveiling of Estádio José Alvalade, Sporting’s new Stadium, that convinced legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson to break the bank and bring the teenager to Old Trafford.

It was at United that Ronaldo, under the guidance of Sir Alex, developed into a world-class player. During his six-year stint at Old Trafford, Ronaldo won three Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League and his first Ballon d'Or in 2008, signalling his arrival as a global superstar.

In 2009, Ronaldo realised his childhood dream of signing for Spanish giants Real Madrid, who paid a then-world-record fee to bring the ace attacker to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Through his nine seasons with Los Blancos, Ronaldo became the club’s all-time leading scorer with 450 goals in 438 appearances. He also won four Champions League titles, two La Liga crowns and claimed four more Ballon d'Ors, solidifying his place as a legend of the game.

With 140 goals in 183 matches, Cristiano Ronaldo is also the all-time highest goal scorer in the UEFA Champions League.

In 2018, Ronaldo moved to Italian outfit Juventus, with whom he won two Serie A titles and scored over 100 goals. He returned to Manchester United in 2021 under huge fanfare before moving to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in 2023.

Only Lionel Messi, with seven, has won more Ballon d’Ors than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s numbers on the international stage is as impressive as his club career. Since making his international debut for Portugal in 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to victory in the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the 2019 UEFA Nations League.

With over 130 goals in more than 200 appearances, Cristiano Ronaldo also holds the records for most goals scored and most matches played in international football. He has also represented Portugal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Off the pitch, Ronaldo is a global icon, known for his philanthropy and business ventures, including his CR7 brand.

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