Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Portugal, on the small island of Madeira off the country’s southwestern coast. He is the youngest of four children born to Maria Dolores dos Santos and José Dinis Aveiro. He was named after former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, one of his father’s favorite actors.
Ronaldo grew up in a largely working class neighborhood in a small tin-roofed home that overlooked the ocean. He was introduced to the game of soccer through his dad, who worked as an equipment manager at a boy’s club for a time.
Ronaldo had turned heads with a mesmerizing performance with Portugal against Manchester United, wowing even his opponents with his footwork and deft skill. He made such an impression that a number of United players asked their manager to try and sign the young player, which the team soon did.
In 2001, Manchester United paid more than £12 million to sign Ronaldo, then just 16 years old. The deal, worth more than $14 million U.S. dollars, was a record fee for a player of his age.
Ronaldo didn’t disappoint: He showed his promise early on in the 2004 FA Cup final, scoring the team’s first three goals and helping them capture the championship. In 2007, Ronaldo signed a five-year, £31 million contract.
A year later, Ronaldo again justified his high salary when he put together one of the club’s finest seasons in history, setting a franchise record for goals scored (42) and earning himself the FIFA World Player of the Year honor for 2008. In all, Ronaldo helped steer Manchester United to three Premier League titles.
In 2009, the Spanish soccer club Real Madrid agreed to pay Manchester United a record $131 million for the chance to sign Ronaldo. Ronaldo’s commitment to Manchester United had come under constant question, and speculation swirled that he wanted to play elsewhere, so nobody was all that surprised to see Ronaldo leave.
Ronaldo is in a long-term relationship with Spanish model Georgina Rodriguez. The pair were first seen together publicly around November 2016 and became an official couple the following year. Although neither has confirmed their potential marriage, Ronaldo has referred to Rodriguez as his wife in interviews as recently as July 2024.
Al-Nassr2023 - Now
Manchester United
2021 - 2023
Juventus
2018-2021
Real Madrid2009-2018
Sporting
2002-2003
December 27, 2024
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