When you ask any kid who loves soccer about their favourite player, we are sure that most of them would name Cristiano Ronaldo, such is his personality. The Portuguese football sensation is known for his strict discipline. Throughout his career, he is known for breaking several records. Ronaldo had said that he doesn’t chase records, but records follow him.
Here are some interesting facts about his life in pictures that every fan should know.
How did Cristiano Ronaldo get his name?
Image Credit – pixabay.com
While “Cristiano” was chosen by his mother, his father José Dinis Aveiro chose “Ronaldo,” which was inspired by Ronald Reagan, who was his father’s favourite actor and was US president when he was born.
Life-changing Incident!
Ronaldo was expelled from school at the age of 14, after he threw a chair at his teacher. He said that he did it because his teacher disrespected him. This was a turning point in his life, as his mother encouraged him to focus on soccer after the incident. And now, we see an international sensation.
Ronaldo’s mother
Image Credit – Instagram
Before opening her own restaurant in Brazil, his mother was a cleaner and cook. Ronaldo has dedicated many of his achievements to her. He shares a very bond with his mother.
Ronaldo’s mother & his family
She has above 4 million followers on Instagram, in one of her posts, she shared a picture of her family (including the footballer, his longtime girlfriend Georgina Rodríguez, and their children) celebrating Christmas in 2001.
Image Credit – Instagram doloresaveiroofficial
Ronaldo’s father
Image Credit – thickaccent
On the other hand, his father José was a gardener and worked as a kit man for a local soccer team, CF Andorinha and was the equipment manager for Andorinha’s senior team, when Ronaldo was 12-year-old.
His father knew Ronaldo would become a football player
The footballer said in an interview with the People that he was treated royally by his family and his father knew that he would become a football player. He added that it made him sad that his father never got to see his success.
Ronaldo doesn’t drink or smoke!
His father died in 2005 due to alcohol-related liver failure. He claimed that after his father’s demise he doesn’t drink alcohol. Apparently, he doesn’t smoke as well. He doesn’t smoke or drink because he feels it affects his playing.
His love for his father
The football legend has been paying tribute to his father on social media over the years. In one of the photos shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2017, he can be seen posing with his son and newborn twins with his father’s painting in the background.
Diagnosed with a heart issue at the age of 15
The Portuguese footballer was diagnosed with a heart issue when he was 15. Due to a rare condition called tachycardia, he had to undergo surgery. His mother Dolores Aveiro revealed that his heart raced a lot when he wasn’t running. She added that this situation made her worried as it raised concerns about his football career. But he recovered soon.
Ronaldo called Cry Baby & Little Bee
His childhood teammates called Ronaldo “cry baby” because of his tantrums, and also because he used to cry when his friends were unable to score a goal after he passed a ball. Also, he was also called “Little Bee,” because of he was so fast that no one could catch him.
Ronaldo & Albert adorable friendship
Image Credit – uomonelpallone
The legendary footballer credits his success to his friend Albert and this is the reason!
Both of them used to play in the under-18 championship, but for the championship, only the top scorer was supposed to be selected. During the match, Albert took the lead with his first goal, followed by his Ronaldo. When Albert got another chance, instead of scoring, he passed the ball to Ronaldo, who scored and got selected. When Ronaldo asked him why he did so, his friend said that Ronaldo is better than him.
Although his childhood friend Albert is now unemployed, he lives like a rich man, and when asked, how he managed it, he in turn credited his friend Ronaldo for it. He smiled and said, “It’s from Cristiano.” Such a wonderful and pure friendship these both have!
How did Ronaldo start?
Before becoming a star, Ronaldo played for Clube Desportivo Nacional of Madeira. He then played for that club’s various youth teams in Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Ronaldo’s breakthrough
He then made a debut in 2002 on Sporting’s first team, and Europe’s biggest football clubs caught his attention, who got him signed with Manchester United in 2003. Rest is history as he became an instant sensation.
Transferred to Real Madrid
In 2009, he was transferred from Manchester United to Real Madrid for a fee of £80 million, which was then a world record transfer fee.
Story behind Ronaldo’s Jersey number 7
Image Credit – buysoccercardsonline
The number 7 is regarded as a lucky number in many cultures. In various aspects of life, including sports, people seek connection with this number, which is the reason, you can see several popular players picking this number for their jersey. Initially, Ronaldo’s jersey number was 28, it was only when he signed for the Red Devils in 2004 that the then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson convinced him to take the iconic shirt, which was worn by iconic players like David Beckham, George Best and Eric Cantona, as he believed that Ronaldo could reach the levels of these iconic figures.
CR7
Image Credit – thinkmarketingmagazine
Because of his association with this number, he is also called CR7, which is also his own fashion brand, that sells high-quality shirts, boots and perfumes.
Awards & accolades
When he was playing for Real Madrid, he won several titles and awards, including four Ballon d’Or awards, four Champions League titles and two La Liga titles. He also holds multiple records and has earned various other accolades till now.
The Puskas Award
Image Credit – hitc
Ronaldo was the first recipient of The Puskas Award that started in 2009, which was given to best goal of the year. He was given for long-range goal against FC Porto during the 2008/09 Champions League while playing for Manchester United.
Real Madrid insured Ronaldo’s legs
In 2009, Real Madrid insured Ronaldo’s legs to prevent injury, for a whopping £100 million.
Ronaldo’s Controversies
Like any other famous personality, his life is also filled with controversy. One such major controversy happened in 2005, when he was arrested over alleged rape of two women at a London hotel. He denied allegations, and the case was dropped as there was no sufficient evidence.
Again in 2009, he was accused of raping a woman in Las Vegas, however, he claimed that they had consensual sex. This incident came out only in 2015, when a German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that a non-disclosure agreement was made in January 2010 and the alleged victim was paid $375,000, in exchange for not going public with the claims. As no criminal case was resolved, Ronaldo was never found guilty nor acquitted of any rape allegations.
Highest-paid player in 2013-14
In 2013-2014, when he signed the contract of €17 million, he became the highest-paid player in football.
Contract With Juventus
In 2018, he was signed for a four-year contract and transferred to Juventus in Italy for a fee of €100 million.
All-time highest international goal scorer
Among active male footballers, he is the all-time highest international goal scorer with 127 goals scored for Portugal.
Long list of girlfriends
The footballer is not only known for his profession but also made headlines for his high-profile romantic endeavors. He has a long list of romantic pasts- Andressa Urach, Rita Pereira, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Gemma Atkinson, Soraia Chaves and Irina Shayk, were a few celebs with whom he was romantically linked.
Ronaldo’s current girlfriend Georgina
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His current girlfriend is Georgina Rodríguez. The duo met each other in 2017 at a Gucci store. The model, who was then working there, had said that it was love at first sight, and the rest is history. She opened up about her relationship with the star footballer in the Netflix series I am Georgina.
Ronaldo’s Family
Image Credit – Instagram cr7.family
Ronaldo and Georgina have five kids- while Georgina is the mother of two of his babies, three babies were born to two surrogate mothers.
Airport in his honor
To honor his contributions with the Portuguese national team, the airport of Madeira is named after the legendary footballer.
Ronaldo’s name in Drake’s song
In Canadian musician Drake’s music album Scorpion, which was released in 2018, there is a song named “Blue Tint,” in which the player’s name is mentioned.
His Love for Music
He loves music, especially Ricky Martin and his hit song “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” His other favorites are Phil Collins, George Michael and Elton John. His son too seems to love Ricky Martin.
Luxurious Car Collection
Ronaldo loves cars and owns over 20 luxury cars worth over $25 million. Lamborghini, Bugatti Centodieci, Aston Martin and Rolls Royce Ghost are some of them.
Why no tattoo?
Ronaldo, like other popular sports personalities, does not have any tattoos and do not want to get any, as he regularly donates blood. The footballer is also apparently registered as a bone marrow donor.
Study CR7 at University
University of British Columbia Okanagan in Canada offers a sociology course about the legendary player. The brain behind this is Associate Professor Luis Aguiar.
Ronaldo’s endorsements
Apart from his profession and businesses, he also has a number of endorsement deals with popular brands like TagHeuer and Herbalife. Nike also has a lifetime with him and reportedly pays him over $1 billion.
Can speak multiple languages
He is multilingual and can speak in multiple languages including, Portuguese, English, Spanish and Italian.
Siu celebration
The footballer is known for his trademark goal celebration, “Siu celebration.” He jumps in the air and does a mid-air pirouette, and as he lands, he shouts “si or Siu” which in Spanish means “Yes.”
Ronaldo’s jumps 5 times higher than Cheetah!
His jumps generate five times the power of Cheetah running at full speed. This allows him to reach 44 cm in the air from a standing position and 78 cm with a running start, which is 7 cm more than the average NBA player.
Ronaldo’s superstitious habits
Ronaldo is known for several superstitious habits. Some of them are: When sick, he paints his nails black; prays before entering the pitch and he enters the pitch with his right foot first; standing in the same position during team photo sessions; his famous way of standing for free kicks is also unique; he is also known for his stylish haircuts and ensures to cut his hair before a big match; avoids green color.
The Museu CR7
A museum, The Museu CR7, which is located in his birthplace, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, is dedicated to his life and career. The museum displays items and memories from his personal and professional life, including his childhood, his journey to fame, and his achievements in his profession.
Above the museum is a hotel, which was built in collaboration between Cristiano Ronaldo and the Pestana Group.
Signed for Saudi club Al Nassr
In 2023, he was signed for Saudi club Al Nassr on a contract that runs until 2025. With this, he secured the highest football salary ever, earning €200 million per year.
Forbes highest-paid athletes in the world
In 2024, Forbes ranked him the top 1 highest-paid athlete in the world. His total estimated earnings is a whopping $260 million. His on-field fee is reported to be $200 million, while he earned $60 million from endorsements and other business ventures.
He is known for being FAST
Ronaldo is known for his speed, and he is incredibly FAST! At the age of 39, Ronaldo hit a top speed of 32.7 km per hour for Euro 2024, as per UEFA stats.
Ronaldo’s YouTube Breaking Records
Ronaldo launched his new YouTube channel UR recently, which has been breaking the records. Just within 90 minutes, his channel reached 1 million subscribers, and within less than 12 hours, it gained over 10 million subscribers, beating MrBeast’s previous record.
