Cristiano Ronaldo | Biography & Facts (2024)

Recent News

Feb. 28, 2024, 9:13 PM ET (AP)

Cristiano Ronaldo suspended for one match over alleged offensive gesture in Saudi league game

Feb. 26, 2024, 3:32 PM ET (AP)

Furor erupts over Ronaldo's apparent obscene taunt in Saudi league match

Top Questions

When was Cristiano Ronaldo born?

Cristiano Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.

What was Cristiano Ronaldo’s early life like?

Ronaldo joined Clube Desportivo Nacional of Madeira and then transferred to Sporting Clube de Portugal (known as Sporting Lisbon), where he played for that club’s various youth football (soccer) teams before making his debut on Sporting’s first team in 2002.He signed with English powerhouse Manchester United in 2003.

What was Cristiano Ronaldo best known for?

An instant sensation, Ronaldo came to be regarded as one of football’s best forwards. His finest season with United came in 2007–08, when he scored 42 League and Cup goals and earned the Golden Shoe award as Europe’s leading scorer, with 31 League goals. He is the all-time leading scorer for Spain’s Real Madrid.

How did Cristiano Ronaldo become world famous?

Ronaldo helped United to a Champions League title in May 2008 and captured Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Player of the Year honours for his stellar 2007–08 season. He was captain of Portugal’s national team in the 2014 and 2018 World Cup competitions and was the third person to earn a lifetime contract from the sportswear company Nike.

Cristiano Ronaldo (born February 5, 1985, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal) Portuguese football (soccer) forward who was one of the greatest players of his generation.

Early life and career

Ronaldo’s father, José Dinis Aveiro, was the equipment manager for the local club Andorinha. (The name Ronaldo was added to Cristiano’s name in honour of his father’s favourite movie actor, Ronald Reagan, who was U.S. president at the time of Cristiano’s birth.) At age 15 Ronaldo was diagnosed with a heart condition that necessitated surgery, but he was sidelined only briefly and made a full recovery. He first played for Clube Desportivo Nacional of Madeira and then transferred to Sporting Clube de Portugal (known as Sporting Lisbon), where he played for that club’s various youth teams before making his debut on Sporting’s first team in 2002.

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A tall player at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 metres), Ronaldo was a formidable athlete on the pitch. Originally a right-winger, he developed into a forward with a free-reined attacking style. He was able to mesmerize opponents with a sleight of foot that made sufficient space for openings in opposing defenses.

Club play

After a successful season with Sporting that brought the young player to the attention of Europe’s biggest football clubs, Ronaldo signed with English powerhouse Manchester United in 2003. He was an instant sensation and soon came to be regarded as one of the best forwards in the game. His finest season with United came in 2007–08, when he scored 42 League and Cup goals and earned the Golden Shoe award as Europe’s leading scorer, with 31 League goals. After helping United to a Champions League title in May 2008, Ronaldo captured Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Player of the Year honours for his stellar 2007–08 season. He also led United to an appearance in the 2009 Champions League final, which they lost to FC Barcelona.

Soon thereafter Ronaldo was sold to Spain’s Real Madrid—a club with which he had long been rumoured to want to play—for a then record £80 million (about $131 million) transfer fee. His scoring prowess continued with his new team, and he netted the most goals (40) in La Liga history during the 2010–11 season (his record was broken the following season by his rival Lionel Messi of Barcelona). In 2011–12 Ronaldo helped Madrid capture a La Liga championship and scored a personal-best 46 goals during the League season. He scored a total of 66 goals in 56 appearances with Madrid and the Portuguese national team in 2013 to earn his second world player of the year award (the FIFA World Player of the Year was renamed the FIFA Ballon d’Or in 2010). In 2014 he scored 52 goals in 43 games and led Madrid to a Champions League title, which resulted in Ronaldo capturing another Ballon d’Or award. In 2014–15 he netted 48 goals to lead La Liga in scoring. Ronaldo netted his 324th goal as a member of Real in October 2015 to become the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. He scored 35 La Liga goals in 2015–16 and helped Real win its record 11th Champions League title, and in December 2016 he won a fourth career Ballon d’Or for his accomplishments. Ronaldo scored 42 goals for Real across all competitions in 2016–17 and led his team to La Liga and Champions League titles that season, which resulted in a fifth career Ballon d’Or award. In 2017–18 he scored 44 goals in 44 games, and Real won a third straight Champions League title.

In July 2018 he reached a four-year contract worth €112 million (about $132 million) with the Italian powerhouse Juventus. He finished his Real career with 311 goals in 292 matches. He scored 28 goals in his first season with Juventus—his lowest domestic goal total since his last season with Manchester United—as the powerhouse club won its eighth straight Italian league title. In the 2019–20 season Ronaldo helped the club capture another league title, and Juventus later won the 2020 Supercoppa Italiana and the 2021 Coppa Italia Final. Several months after the latter match, he left Juventus and returned to Manchester United. His second stint with the club proved disappointing, however. Both Ronaldo and Manchester struggled, and he expressed growing dissatisfaction with the club. In November 2022 his contract was terminated by “mutual agreement.” The following month Ronaldo signed with the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.

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International career

On his home soil, after moving through the youth and under-21 ranks, Ronaldo had made his first appearance for Portugal’s full national team against Kazakhstan in August 2003 (four days after his debut for United). He was a key player in Portugal’s fourth-place finish at the 2006 World Cup and became the full-time captain of the national team in 2008. In 2012 his stellar play led Portugal to the semifinals of the European Championship, where his team was eliminated by rival Spain in a match that was decided by a penalty kick shoot-out. Ronaldo came into the 2014 World Cup hot off of his second world player of the year win, but his play at the tournament was spotty, and the entire Portugal team struggled during a group-stage elimination. In 2016 he helped Portugal win the European Championship, the country’s first major international tournament title, although he only played sparingly in the final because of a knee injury that he had sustained early in the match. Ronaldo played brilliantly at the 2018 World Cup, scoring four goals in four games as Portugal advanced to the knockout round only to lose its first match of that stage to a strong defensive Uruguay side. Four years later Ronaldo became the first male player to score at five different World Cups. However, he was not part of the starting lineup for several games, and Portugal’s 2022 World Cup ended with a loss in the quarterfinals.

Endorsements and legal issues

Ronaldo was one of the most well-known sports stars off the field, and numerous studies of athletes’ popularity showed that he was the most-beloved athlete in the world during his playing peak. His extreme popularity made Ronaldo one of the highest-paid endorsers in sports history, and in November 2016 he became the third person (after basketball superstars Michael Jordan and LeBron James) to earn a “lifetime” contract from the sportswear company Nike. Moreover, he established his own successful “CR7” brand of products that included shoes, underwear, and fragrances. Ronaldo’s immense marketability was at the centre of a legal issue that arose in June 2017. That month prosecutors filed a lawsuit that accused Ronaldo of defrauding the Spanish government of €14.7 million ($16.5 million) by hiding his image-rights income in Spain from 2011 to 2014. He was accused of having underestimated the income he earned from the sale and licensing of his image rights and the accompanying tax obligations, but Ronaldo denied all allegations. However, in June 2018 he accepted a suspended two-year prison sentence and agreed to pay €18.8 million ($21.8 million) to the Spanish government to settle the case.

Jack Rollin The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Cristiano Ronaldo | Biography & Facts (2024)

FAQs

What is the full story of Cristiano Ronaldo? ›

As a child, Ronaldo played for Andorinha from 1992 to 1995, where his father was the kit man, and later spent two years with Nacional. In 1997, aged 12, he went on a three-day trial with Sporting CP, who signed him for a fee of £1,500. He subsequently moved from Madeira to Lisbon to join Sporting CP's youth system.

Will Ronaldo play 2026 World Cup? ›

The next World Cup may be three years away, but Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly plans to take part in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. He has apparently told Al Nassr that he'd like to extend his contract with the club until at least the beginning of 2027, when he is expected to hang up his boots.

Was Cristiano Ronaldo born in Egypt? ›

Cristiano Ronaldo (born February 5, 1985, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal) Portuguese football (soccer) forward who was one of the greatest players of his generation.

Who is better Messi or Ronaldo? ›

Who is better Messi Or Ronaldo? Ronaldo has scored a record number of international goals and appearances, but Messi has won more Ballon d'Or awards (8). Messi has spent most of his playing career in Spain and France, while Ronaldo has played in Portugal, England, Spain, and Italy.

What made Ronaldo famous? ›

Cristiano Ronaldo became world-famous through his exceptional talent, dedication, and success in football. His skillful and goal-scoring performances, first with Sporting Lisbon, then Manchester United, Real Madrid, and later Juventus, garnered global attention.

Which country Ronaldo belongs? ›

Cristiano Ronaldo, popularly known by his nickname 'CR7' is a Portuguese professional soccer player. He plays forward for Juventus and the Portugal National Team.

Is Ronaldo retired in 2026? ›

Revealed: Cristiano Ronaldo sets retirement date that will keep Lionel Messi rivalry running as all-time great informs Al-Nassr & Portugal of his plans. Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly set a retirement date that will keep his rivalry with Lionel Messi running through the next World Cup in 2026.

Who is better than Messi? ›

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Titles
Cristiano RonaldoCompetitionLionel Messi
5Champions League4
4Club World Cup3
4National Cups*7
22Total30
5 more rows
Jan 31, 2024

When Messi is going to retire? ›

The Argentinian has put an end to his time in Europe and has been living in the MLS in the United States for months now. The striker signed a two-year contract until 31 December 2025 with Inter Miami. He will then be 38 years old and, as he himself acknowledged in the interview, "time passes for everyone".

Did Ronaldo finish high school? ›

At the same time, Ronaldo has loved football since he was a youngster and wanted to make a profession out of it, so he dropped out of school in the middle of his studies. Ronaldo's family backed him up in his choice to drop out of school.

Was Ronaldo's father a soldier? ›

Ronaldo's dad was a soldier who fought in Africa & died before he saw son rise.

Did Ronaldo go to college? ›

Cristiano Ronaldo did not attend college because when he was 14. He threw a chair at his teacher. And since they yelled at him a lot. He decided he didn't want to go back to school again.

Is Ronaldo a billionaire? ›

Per Forbes, Ronaldo became the first professional athlete ever to surpass the billion-dollar threshold just in career earnings in 2020, as his net worth is around $500 million according to some estimations that include wages, endorsement deals, real estate, and advertisements.

Who is faster than Ronaldo? ›

Top Speed: Ronaldo wins with 34 km/h vs. Messi's 32.5 km/h. Acceleration: Messi takes the lead, reaching top speed quicker. Average Speed: They're close, with Messi slightly ahead at 23 km/h vs.

Are Messi and Ronaldo friends? ›

Cristiano Ronaldo on his rivalry with Lionel Messi: We are not friends but we respect each other.

Will Lionel Messi play 2026 World Cup? ›

Lionel Messi is not ruling out another bid for World Cup glory with Argentina in 2026 despite acknowledging that time is working against him. Lionel Messi is not ruling out another bid for World Cup glory with Argentina in 2026 despite acknowledging that time is working against him.

Will Messi play 2026 World Cup or not? ›

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has backed Lionel Messi to play through to the 2026 World Cup as he hailed the superstar's work ethic.

Can Messi make it to 2026 World Cup? ›

"As long as I feel I'm well and can continue to contribute, I'm going to do it. Today all I'm thinking about is getting to the Copa America. After that, time will tell if I'm there or not," says Argentina skipper.

What age will Neymar be in 2026? ›

Neymar will be 34 by the time the next World Cup roles around in Canada, Mexico and the United States. That beautiful golden trophy is one of the few missing from his impressive CV, but Brazil won't have any chance of lifting their sixth global title if he is still in the starting XI by then.

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