Biography of Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid Soccer Player

Born on February 5, 1985, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH ComM is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both the Portugal national team and Saudi Professional League side Al Nassr. Ronaldo is regarded as one of the best players of all time and has earned the most European player honors with four European Golden Shoes and five Ballon d’Or awards. In his tenure, he has won 32 trophies, including the UEFA European Championship, the UEFA Nations League, five UEFA Champions Leagues, and seven league championships. In the Champions League, Ronaldo owns the records for most appearances (183), goals (140), and assists (42) in addition to the most goals (14), international goals (118), and joint-most appearances (183). (196). He is one of the select few athletes with over 1,100 career appearances in the professional sphere and over 800 senior-level goals for club and nation.

Before joining Manchester United in 2003 and capturing the FA Cup in his debut season, Ronaldo started his senior career with Sporting CP. At the age of 23, he won his first Ballon d’Or. He would later go on to win the Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, and three straight Premier League championships. Ronaldo’s 2009 signing for Real Madrid for a reported €94 million (£80 million) transfer record set a new record for the most expensive association football move. He developed into a key player and, along with Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, made an attacking trio that was crucial to the team’s four Champions League victories from 2014 to 2018, including La Décima. In this time, Lionel Messi, his alleged professional rival, won the Ballon d’Or back-to-back in 2013, 2014, and again in 2016, and he finished second three times. He ended as the competition’s top scorer for six straight seasons between 2012 and 2018, becoming the competition’s all-time leading scorer as well as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer in the Champions League. Ronaldo won four Champions Leagues, three UEFA Super Cups, two La Liga championships, two Copa del Rey crowns, and three Club World Cups while playing for Real. It was the most expensive transfer for an Italian team and for a player over 30 in 2018 when he joined Juventus in a deal worth an initial €100 million (£88 million). Before joining Manchester United again in 2021, he won two Serie A championships, two Supercoppa Italiana trophies, and a Coppa Italia. He also made history by becoming the first player to end as the top scorer in the English, Spanish, and Italian leagues. His contract with the club was terminated, and he departed in 2022. Ronaldo committed to Al Nassr in 2023.

Ronaldo is Portugal’s most-capped player with 190 caps after making his international début for Portugal in 2003 at the age of 18. He is the all-time leading scorer with over 100 goals at the international level. Ronaldo has participated in and scored goals at 11 big competitions. At the 2004 Euros, where he helped Portugal advance to the final, he netted his first goal for his country. In July 2008, he became the national team’s skipper. The Portuguese Football Federation deemed Cristiano Ronaldo the greatest Portuguese player of all time in 2015. He led Portugal to their first major international victory at Euro 2016 the following year, and as the second-highest goal scorer at the competition, he was awarded the Silver Boot. He would earn his fourth Ballon d’Or for this accomplishment. In addition, he guided them to a third-place result at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, a win in the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019, and the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer in 2020.

Ronaldo, one of the most marketable and well-known players in the world, was named the highest-paid athlete in the world by Forbes in 2016 and 2017 and the most famous athlete in the world by ESPN from 2016 to 2019. He was listed by Time as one of the top 100 global influencers in 2014. He is the third athlete to make $1 billion in career earnings in sports, and the first football player.

Career

Cristiano Ronaldo has played for different teams throughout his tenure, including Manchester United, Sporting FC, Real Madrid, and Juventus.

Sporting FC
When Cristiano Ronaldo made his Portuguese professional debut for Sporting FC, his existence was forever altered. Cristiano Ronaldo was promoted to Sporting’s first team at the age of 16 by László Bölöni, who was mesmerized by his extraordinary dribbling skills and lightning-quick reflexes. According to Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent, clubs like Barcelona, Liverpool, and Arsene Wenger of Arsenal had indicated interest in acquiring the fantastic young Portuguese superstar from Sporting FC during the 2002–03 season.

Manchester United
In 2003–2004, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first Portuguese star for Manchester United. He requested his Sporting FC number 28, but at Old Trafford, he was handed the No. 7 jersey, which had previously belonged to David Beckham and Eric Cantona. On August 16, 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo replaced Nicky Butt for Manchester United’s encounter against the Bolton Wonders, which United won 4-0. In his first game, Ronaldo got a standing ovation from the crowd and numerous compliments from United Legend George Best. Cristiano Ronaldo’s career took off in the 2006–07 season when he scored more than 20 goals for Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson. He also proved his significance at the game by aiding them in their 2005–06 Premier League title triumph.

Real Madrid
Ahead of the 2008–09 season, Cristiano Ronaldo made the decision to leave Manchester United and sign with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid for the then-highest signing price of £80 million. Cristiano Ronaldo’s career took a major step forward when Real Madrid revealed a five-year deal with the big star through 2015, paying him £11 million annually and including a €1 billion release fee. In his early years at Real Madrid, Ronaldo was given the number 9 jersey because Raul was the team captain and wore the number 7. When Cristiano Ronaldo transferred from Manchester United to Real Madrid, his life narrative was completely changed by the level of success he experienced at Santiago Bernabeu. He has participated in 292 matches and tallied 311 goals during his eight years at Real Madrid.

Juventus
Ronaldo moved from Real Madrid to Juventus in 2018 for a transfer fee of €100 million + €12 million in additional fees. In exchange for a four-year contract, Juventus paid Ronaldo the highest transfer price ever for a player under the age of 30. Ronaldo got his first goal for Juventus against Sassuolo in his fourth game for the team, and in his 154th Champions League match against Valencia, he was dismissed for the first time in his career.

Rise to Prominence
Ronaldo was introduced gradually by Ferguson, but it was clear from his early cameo appearances that the Scot had acquired a player with exceptional innate talent.

Ronaldo scored 10 goals in his debut season while donning the fabled number seven jersey that had previously belonged to players like George Best and Eric Cantona.

By the conclusion of the 2006–07 campaign, the Portuguese star had made 53 appearances for United and scored 23 goals, contributing significantly to the team’s first championship in four years.

International Level
In August 2003, Ronaldo received his first call-up to the national Portugal team. He was selected for Euro 2004, where he scored two goals. But Portugal fell to Greece in the championship game on home soil.

Although he contributed seven goals to his nation’s qualification for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, his only contribution there was a penalty against Iran as Portugal was defeated by France in the semi-finals.

Ronaldo once again excelled during the Euro 2008 qualifying process, but he was let down when the major event finally arrived as Portugal was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Despite a brilliant debut season in a Real Madrid jersey, Ronaldo once more appeared devoid of confidence at his next big competition—the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He scored in the 7-0 thrashing of North Korea, but like many of the other big stars in the competition, he did little to help Portugal lose to eventual champion Spain in the second round.

Ronaldo had a sluggish start to the tournament, but his three goals in the quarterfinals of Euro 2012 enabled Portugal advance. His performances at the 2014 World Cup, however, were severely compromised by knee tendinitis. As Portugal lost in the group stage, he only managed one goal, sparking rumors that he did not have faith in his colleagues.

Major Achievements Of Ronaldo

1. For the 2007-08 season, Ronaldo won the European golden shoe.
2. Real Madrid won la Liga for the first time in four years because of his 46 goals.
3. He holds the record for the most goals in a single champions league season.
4. He holds the record for the fastest player to 300 goals in la Liga.
5. Ronaldo is the only player to win league titles in all three countries England, Spain, and Italy.