Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on 5 February 1985 in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. Raised in the parish of Santo António, he began playing youth football with Andorinha, where his father, José Dinis Aveiro, worked as a kit man, before spells at Nacional and Sporting CP. At 12, he moved to Sporting’s academy in Alcochete near Lisbon. His rapid development took him into Sporting’s first team, and a standout performance against Manchester United in a 2003 friendly helped persuade Alex Ferguson to sign him. Ronaldo joined Manchester United in August 2003, received the number 7 shirt previously worn by George Best, Eric Cantona and David Beckham, and became the first Portuguese player to represent the club. Under Ferguson, he developed from a winger known for stepovers into a prolific scorer. In 2007–08, he scored 42 goals in all competitions as United won the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. That year he earned his first Ballon d’Or. United won three consecutive Premier League titles from 2006–07 through 2008–09 during his first spell. In 2009, Real Madrid paid a then-world-record £80 million transfer fee for Ronaldo. He scored 450 goals in 438 appearances for Madrid, becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer. His rivalry with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi defined much of the era, while Madrid won four Champions League titles in five seasons from 2013–14 to 2017–18. Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, taking his total to five. In the 2013–14 Champions League, he scored a record 17 goals in one campaign. Ronaldo moved to Juventus in 2018 and helped the Turin club win Serie A in 2018–19 and 2019–20. He returned to Manchester United in 2021, becoming the club’s leading scorer in 2021–22, before his departure in November 2022. In December 2022, Al Nassr announced his signing, bringing him to the Saudi Pro League. For Portugal, Ronaldo debuted in 2003 and played at Euro 2004, where Portugal finished runners-up. He captained the national side to its first major trophy at UEFA Euro 2016, despite leaving the final injured, and to the 2019 UEFA Nations League title. In 2022 he became the first men’s player to score at five World Cups. He has held the men’s record for international goals, extending it beyond 100 during his career. Known for aerial ability, powerful shooting, and longevity, Ronaldo has remained one of football’s decorated and scrutinized figures.