Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH ComM (born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Currently playing as a forward for Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr and captaining the Portugal national team, Ronaldo has set numerous records and achieved unprecedented success throughout his career spanning over two decades.
Early Life and Background
Born in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, Ronaldo was the youngest of four children born to Maria Dolores dos Santos Viveiros da Aveiro, a cook, and José Dinis Aveiro, a municipal gardener. His great-grandmother on his father's side was from São Vicente, Cape Verde. Named after former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Ronaldo grew up in an impoverished Catholic household, sharing a room with his siblings.
His early life was marked by hardship and determination. At age 14, Ronaldo ceased his formal education to focus entirely on football, having already shown exceptional promise. A significant health challenge emerged when he was diagnosed with tachycardia, requiring heart surgery, but he recovered quickly and resumed training within days.
Professional Career
Early Career and Manchester United (2002-2009)
Ronaldo's professional journey began with Sporting CP in Portugal, where his extraordinary talent caught the attention of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson during a friendly match. This led to his transfer to Manchester United in 2003 for £12.24 million, a record fee for a teenager in English football at the time.
At Manchester United, Ronaldo developed from a flashy winger into a prolific goalscorer. His first stint at United (2003-2009) yielded:
- Three consecutive Premier League titles
- One UEFA Champions League trophy
- His first Ballon d'Or (2008)
- 118 goals in 292 appearances
Real Madrid Era (2009-2018)
In 2009, Ronaldo transferred to Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of £80 million. His nine seasons at Madrid represented the peak of his career, during which he:
- Scored 450 goals in 438 appearances
- Won four Champions League titles
- Claimed four Ballon d'Or awards
- Became the club's all-time leading scorer
- Formed the legendary "BBC" attacking trio with Benzema and Bale
Later Career (2018-Present)
Following Madrid, Ronaldo's career continued with:
- Juventus (2018-2021): 101 goals in 134 appearances
- Manchester United return (2021-2022): 27 goals in 54 appearances
- Al Nassr (2023-present): Over 74 goals and counting
International Career
Ronaldo's international career with Portugal is equally illustrious. Key achievements include:
- Most international goals in men's football (133)
- Most international appearances (216)
- Led Portugal to UEFA Euro 2016 victory
- First player to score at five World Cups
- First player to appear in six European Championships
Playing Style and Attributes
Ronaldo's playing style has evolved throughout his career. Initially known for his dribbling and flair, he developed into a complete forward with exceptional:
- Aerial ability (recorded 2.93m jump height)
- Physical conditioning and athleticism
- Goal-scoring prowess
- Set-piece expertise
- Tactical adaptability
His transformation from a tricky winger to a clinical striker demonstrates his ability to adapt his game as his physical attributes changed with age.
Records and Achievements
Among his numerous records:
- Five Ballon d'Or awards
- Most Champions League goals (140)
- First player to score 800+ official senior career goals
- Most goals in men's international football
- Highest-paid footballer in history (at Al Nassr)
- First footballer to earn $1 billion in career earnings
Cultural Impact and Legacy
Ronaldo's influence extends beyond football:
- Most followed person on social media (over 1 billion total followers)
- Multiple eponyms including Madeira's airport and Sporting CP's academy
- Extensive philanthropic work including disaster relief and children's causes
- Successful business ventures in fashion, hospitality, and media
- Subject of numerous documentaries and biographical works
Personal Life
Ronaldo is father to five children and has been in a relationship with Georgina Rodríguez since 2017. Known for his disciplined lifestyle, he abstains from alcohol and has no tattoos to facilitate regular blood donation. His personal life has occasionally drawn media attention, including legal issues and tax disputes, though he has maintained his status as one of sport's most marketable figures.
Historical Significance
Ronaldo's career represents a paradigm shift in professional football, setting new standards for:
- Athletic preparation and longevity
- Commercial success and brand building
- Statistical achievement and record-breaking
- Global influence and fan engagement
His rivalry with Lionel Messi defined an era of football, with their concurrent careers pushing both to unprecedented heights of achievement. Together, they elevated the sport's global profile and set new benchmarks for individual excellence.
Legacy
As he continues his career into his late 30s, Ronaldo's legacy is already secured as one of football's most transformative figures. His combination of athletic excellence, marketing appeal, and global influence has redefined what's possible for a football player to achieve both on and off the field. His impact on the sport will likely influence generations of players to come, while his records may stand for decades.
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 5 November 2024
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sporting CP B | 2002–03 | Segunda Divisão B | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Sporting CP | 2002–03 | Primeira Liga | 25 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 5 | |
| Manchester United | 2003–04 | Premier League | 29 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 6 |
| 2004–05 | Premier League | 33 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 9 | |
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 33 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 1 | — | 47 | 12 | ||
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 34 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 3 | — | 53 | 23 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 34 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 42 | |
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 33 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 53 | 26 | |
| Total | 196 | 84 | 26 | 13 | 12 | 4 | 55 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 292 | 118 | ||
| Real Madrid | 2009–10 | La Liga | 29 | 26 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 7 | — | 35 | 33 | ||
| 2010–11 | La Liga | 34 | 40 | 8 | 7 | — | 12 | 6 | — | 54 | 53 | |||
| 2011–12 | La Liga | 38 | 46 | 5 | 3 | — | 10 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 60 | ||
| 2012–13 | La Liga | 34 | 34 | 7 | 7 | — | 12 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 55 | 55 | ||
| 2013–14 | La Liga | 30 | 31 | 6 | 3 | — | 11 | 17 | — | 47 | 51 | |||
| 2014–15 | La Liga | 35 | 48 | 2 | 1 | — | 12 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 54 | 61 | ||
| 2015–16 | La Liga | 36 | 35 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 16 | — | 48 | 51 | |||
| 2016–17 | La Liga | 29 | 25 | 2 | 1 | — | 13 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 46 | 42 | ||
| 2017–18 | La Liga | 27 | 26 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 44 | 44 | ||
| Total | 292 | 311 | 30 | 22 | — | 101 | 105 | 15 | 12 | 438 | 450 | |||
| Juventus | 2018–19 | Serie A | 31 | 21 | 2 | 0 | — | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 43 | 28 | |
| 2019–20 | Serie A | 33 | 31 | 4 | 2 | — | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 37 | ||
| 2020–21 | Serie A | 33 | 29 | 4 | 2 | — | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 36 | ||
| 2021–22 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 98 | 81 | 10 | 4 | — | 23 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 134 | 101 | |||
| Manchester United | 2021–22 | Premier League | 30 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | — | 38 | 24 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | 16 | 3 | ||
| Total | 40 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 8 | — | 54 | 27 | |||
| Al Nassr | 2022–23 | Saudi Pro League | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 19 | 14 | ||
| 2023–24 | Saudi Pro League | 31 | 35 | 4 | 3 | — | 9 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 51 | 50 | ||
| 2024–25 | Saudi Pro League | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 10 | ||
| Total | 55 | 55 | 7 | 3 | — | 12 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 84 | 74 | |||
| Career total | 708 | 553 | 77 | 44 | 12 | 4 | 207 | 151 | 31 | 23 | 1,035 | 775 | ||
International
For a comprehensive listing of international goals scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, see List of international goals scored by Cristiano Ronaldo.
- As of match played 15 October 2024
| Team | Year | Competitive | Friendly | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Portugal U15 | 2001 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 |
| Portugal U17 | 2001 | — | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2002 | 4 | 3 | — | 4 | 3 | ||
| Total | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5 | |
| Portugal U20 | 2003 | — | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| Portugal U21 | 2002 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | |
| Total | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 3 | |
| Portugal U23 | 2004 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Portugal | 2003 | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 7 | |
| 2005 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2006 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 6 | |
| 2007 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 5 | |
| 2008 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2011 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | |
| 2012 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 5 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 10 | |
| 2014 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 5 | |
| 2015 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2016 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 13 | |
| 2017 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 11 | |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 14 | — | 10 | 14 | ||
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 13 | |
| 2022 | 12 | 3 | — | 12 | 3 | ||
| 2023 | 9 | 10 | — | 9 | 10 | ||
| 2024 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 5 | |
| Total | 162 | 111 | 54 | 22 | 216 | 133 | |
| Career total | 177 | 118 | 73 | 33 | 250 | 151 | |