Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest football players in history. He is the epitome of hard work, determination, and perseverance. It was his never-give-up attitude that saw him transform from a young Portuguese footballer at Sporting Lisbon to an all-time legend for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and the Portuguese national side. He currently plays for Saudi club Al-Nassr, where he continues to break football records.
In this article, we will explore his incredible journey in detail from his career highlights to his global impact as a brand.
1. Introduction: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Global Impact
Cristiano Ronaldo, often referred to as "CR7," is more than just a football player; his influence is beyond football as well, with the Portuguese icon being a huge source of inspiration for both footballers and individuals around the world. Even at the age of 39, Ronaldo makes sure to work out consistently, and have a proper healthy diet. Thus, he still manages to maintain excellent fitness levels and a peak physique, at an age where most of his colleagues usually retire and bid farewell to the game. The Portuguese legend is one of the most popular figures in the planet as well, boasting a combined one billion followers across all major social media platforms.
2. Early Career at Sporting Lisbon
A young Ronaldo began his football journey with Portuguese side Andorinha, where his father was a kit man. After 3 years at Andorinha, he spent the next 2 years of his career at Portuguese club Nacional.
It was in 1997 that Ronaldo had the first turning point of his career, as the then 12 year old younger went on a three-day trial with Sporting CP. The trial ended in success, as Ronaldo was signed by the club for a £1,500 transfer. This also meant the end of his time at Madeira, as he moved to Lisbon to join Sporting CP's youth system.
Ronaldo struggled to give equal focus to both his academics and football career, as he clearly emphasized the latter. Thus he eventually convinced his mother and his Sporting CP tutor (Leonel Pontes) to cease his education to focus entirely on football. However, a year later, he was diagnosed with tachycardia, which is a condition that could have potentially stopped him from playing football. The young Portuguese then had a heart surgery and was later discharged hours after the procedure. He went on resume training a few days later, having overcome a major hurdle in his early footballing years.
After an impressive stint at Sporting Lisbon's youth setup, Ronaldo was called up by first-team manager László Bölöni. On 14th August 2002, the then 17 year old Portuguese made his debut in a UEFA Champions League qualifying round against Inter Milan. This was followed by his Primeira Liga debut against Braga a month later.
On October 7th, Ronaldo scored a brace against Moreirense in a 3-0 victory for Sporting Lisbon. As the 2002–03 season progressed, the word had spread among some of Europe's biggest clubs, of a certain Portuguese youngster with immense potential. The likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Manchester United were all interested in the player. In fact, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger met with him at Arsenal's stadium in November to discuss a possible transfer.
However, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was absolutely determined to sign Ronaldo for his club. He was especially impressed by the player's performance when United faced Sporting, which ended in a 3-1 win for the Portuguese club. Interestingly, even the United players had also urged Ferguson to sign the player. In the end, Manchester United agreed to pay £12.24 million to Sporting Lisbon for Ronaldo. The fee was an English record for a teenager back then, and it also made him the first Portuguese player to join the club.
3. Manchester United: The Rise to Global Stardom (2003–2009)
Upon joining United, Ronaldo requested for the number 28 jersey, which he wore at Sporting. However, as destiny would have it, the Portuguese received the iconic squad number 7 shirt, which was previously worn by club legends George Best, Eric Cantona and David Beckham.
Ronaldo made his United Premier League debut against Bolton Wanderers on 16th August 2003, coming on as a substitute in a 4-0 win. Later on 1st November, Ronaldo scored his first goal for United, a free-kick, against Portsmouth in a 3-0 win. The Portuguese youngster ended his season on an iconic note, as he scored the opening goal in United's 3–0 win over Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup Final. Thus, he lifted his first major title in football.
Despite an excellent debut season in England, the British Press were critical of the player's flashy style and elaborate step-overs in trying to beat opponents. However, his teammate Gary Neville defended this at the time, and predicted greater things to come from the Portuguese.
At the beginning of 2005, Ronaldo produced two highlight performances of the 2004–05 campaign. These included his goal and assist against Aston villa and his Outstanding brace against rivals Arsenal. The rise of Cristiano continued, as Ronaldo scored the third goal in United's 4–0 League Cup final win over Wigan Athletic. Thus, he won his second major title.
Ronaldo's third season in England can be described as a wild one. He ended up clashing with teammate Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took offence at the winger's showboating style of play. To make matters worse, he was involved in an incident with club teammate Wayne Rooney when Portugal faced England in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This incident also let to Rooney being sent-off in that game. As the international tournament concluded, Ronaldo publicly asked for a transfer, as the former Sporting Lisbon star was unhappy with the support received by United over the incident. However, United refused to let him go.
Things got even more miserable for Ronaldo, as the Rooney incident led to him being booed throughout the 2006–07 season. However, he took all of this as a motivating factor, and gave us a glimpse into his elite mindset and mental strength. Ronaldo ended up having a magnificent 2006–07 campaign, as he broke the 20 goal barrier for the first time and won his first Premier League title.
The 2006–07 season saw him win tons of individual awards. Ronaldo managed to clinch the Professional Footballers' Association's Player's Player, Fans' Player, Young Player of the Year awards, and the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year award. By achieving this feat, he also became the first player to win all four main PFA and FWA honours. Furthermore, Ronaldo was ranked second and third respectively for the 2007 Ballon d'Or and 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year.
Fast forward to 12th January 2008, CR7 scored his first hat-trick for United in a 6–0 win against Newcastle United. He finished that season with 31 league goals, which made him the Premier League Golden Boot winner. Ronaldo won the European Golden Shoe as well that season, and made history by becoming the first winger to achieve this feat.
United and Ronaldo made history in the Champions League as well. They faced Chelsea in the finals, where Ronaldo scored the opening goal for United. However, Chelsea eventually equalized and the matched extended to penalties. Ronaldo went from hero to villain though, as he missed his penalty in the shootout. However, United ended up winning the game and became the champions of Europe. As for Ronaldo, it was an unbelievable night that saw him go through a rollercoaster of emotions.
A potential nightmare turned into a dream reality for Ronaldo, as the former Sporting Lisbon player also finished the tournament as the Champions League top scorer. This eventually led to him being named as UEFA Club Footballer of the Year. The best was yet to come though, as Ronaldo made history by winning the 2008 Ballon d'Or and 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year. Thus, he became the first Premier League player and United's first player since George Best to win the coveted award.
Ronaldo's outstanding talent caught the attention of Europe, especially the mighty Real Madrid. CR7 still decided to remain loyal stay at United though. He later scored an outrageous 40-yard strike against Porto in the Champions League, which earned him the inaugural FIFA Puskás Award. United managed to reach another Champions League final as well, but ended up losing to 2-0 to a magnificent Barcelona side. Ronaldo failed to make any impact in this match, as he was overshadowed by a certain Barcelona player named Leo Messi.
4. Real Madrid: Record-Breaking Years (2009–2018)
After much speculation, Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2009 for a then world record £80 million. His presentation ceremony was historical as well, with the estimated 80,000 attendance exceeding the 25-year record of 75,000 fans who had welcomed Diego Maradona at Napoli.
Ronaldo's La Liga debut was against Deportivo La Coruña on 29th August, as he scored a penalty goal to help Madrid beat them 3–2. He went on to score in each of his first four league games, which made him the first Madrid player to do. Ronaldo later scored a brace of free-kicks in his debut Champions League match for Madrid against Zürich. Unfortunately, his excellent start to the season was paused due to a ankle injury that he suffered in October while on international duty for Portugal. The unfortunate setback saw him miss up to 7 weeks. Despite this absence, he managed to finish his debut Madrid campaign with 33 goals in all competitions, which contributed a lot to Real Madrid's humongous 96 points in La Liga. Unfortunately, this magnificent league finish wasn't still enough to clinch the title, as champions Barcelona were on a whole other level at the time.
The departure of Madrid legend Raúl saw Ronaldo get back his iconic 7 jersey number, and thus CR7 was reborn again in the kits of Madrid. He bid farewell to his 9 jersey which was worn for the previous season. Ronaldo ended up scoring 53 goals that season, and helped Real Madrid win the Copa del Rey. In fact, he scored the winning goal against rivals Barcelona to clinch the title. More history was made, as the former United superstar became the first player in La Liga to score 40 goals. These feats saw him finish the season with the Pichichi Trophy and second European Golden Shoe. Thus, he became the first player to win the award in different leagues.
CR7 became more dangerous in the following season, as he scored 60 goals across all competitions. He led Los Blancos to their first league title in four years with a record 100 points. Ronaldo scored his 100th goal for the club in a 5–1 win over Real Sociedad on 24th March 2012. This feat was achieved in record time (105 games), and thus he broke the previous record held by Ferenc Puskás. His outstanding contributions saw him finish as the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or runner-up, as his rival Leo Messi took the ultimate golden ball.
The 2012–13 season saw Ronaldo score his first Champions League hat-trick for Madrid a 4–1 win over Ajax. Just 4 days later, he scored a brace to help Madrid draw 2-2 against Barcelona. Those goals also saw him become the first player to score in six successive Clásicos. He yet again finished second in the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or rankings, as Messi added yet another golden ball to his outstanding collection.
The 2013-14 season saw the arrival of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for a then world-record fee. This led to the formation of the legendary BBC attacking trio, which had Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo. As for Ronaldo, he continued his excellent goalscoring form at Madrid. He scored 69 goals in 2013, and eventually won both the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or, and the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Collective success soon came towards him, as Ronaldo helped Real Madrid clinch La Décima, which was their tenth European title. It was also his greatest achievement with Madrid till date. Ronaldo scored a penalty in the 120th minute to make it 4-1, and hence also made history by becoming the first player to score in two European Cup finals for two different winning teams. He also managed to finish as the competition's top goalscorer for the third time, with a record 17 goals. This led to him being named the UEFA Best Player in Europe. Furthermore, an excellent feat of 31 goals in 30 league games earned him the Pichichi and the European Golden Shoe ( along with Liverpool's Luis Suárez).
The former United star set a new personal best of 61 goals in the 2014–15 season. Soon after Madrid won the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup, Ronaldo was awarded the 2014 Ballon d'Or. Thus, he joined the likes of Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, and Marco van Basten as a three-time recipient of the award. Despite his individual excellence that season, Madrid failed to win any major silverware. The club finished in second place in La Liga and exited at the semi-final stage in the Champions League.
As for Ronaldo, he ended that season as Champions League top scorer (shared with messi and Neymar) for the third consecutive time and won second, won a second consecutive Pichichi and received a record fourth European Golden Shoe.
On September 15th, 2015, Ronaldo made history by becoming Madrid's all-time top scorer. The historic goal was scored against Espanyol, which took his tally to 230 goals in 203 matches. Thus, he surpassed the previous record of Madrid legend Raúl. More records came along the way, as CR7 also became the all-time top scorer in the Champions League with a hat-trick in the first group match against Shakhtar Donetsk. He later scored a brace against Malmö in a 2–0 win to reach the milestone of 500 career goals for club and country. History was made in the international stage as well, as Ronaldo guided Portugal to a legendary 2016 Euro Cup victory. All these milestones saw him be awarded with the 2016 Ballon d'Or and the inaugural 2016 The Best FIFA Men's Player award.
Later in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, Ronaldo scored a brace against Bayern to help Los Blancos win 2-1. Additionally, he made history by becoming the first player to reach 100 goals in UEFA club competition. Fast forward to May 17th, Ronaldo scored another 2 goals against Celta de Vigo to overtake Jimmy Greaves as the all-time top scorer in the top five European leagues. Ronaldo finished the season with 42 goals in all competitions as he helped Madrid to win their first La Liga title since 2012. Another Champions League was added to his illustrious collection as well, with Ronaldo scoring twice in Madrid's 4-1 final win over Juventus.
Several records were smashed in the process, as CR7 was once again the competition's top goalscorer for the fifth straight season (sixth overall), as well as the first player to score in three finals in the Champions League era, and furthermore his second goal was the 600th of his senior career. As for Real Madrid, they became the first team to win back-to-back finals in the Champions League era. Those historic feats also saw Ronaldo be awarded with another The Best FIFA Men's Player accolade and the 2017 Ballon d'Or.
Ronaldo's next season at Madrid saw them lift yet another Champions League title, with Los Blancos beating Liverpool 3-1 in the final. Another season highlight for Ronaldo was the Champions League quarter-final tie against Juventus, Which ended in a 3-0 win for Madrid with Ronaldo scoring a brace. It was during this game that he scored his legendary bicycle kick, which is considered to be the greatest goal of his legendary career. Ronaldo finished as the top scorer of the tournament for the sixth consecutive season with 15 goals.
The feeling was that Ronaldo and Real will continue their reign of terror across Europe, but destiny had other plans.
5. Juventus: A New Challenge (2018–2021)
Ronaldo shocked the footballing world in 2018, as he joined Italian giants Juventus for €100 million. The fee was not only an Italian record, but also the highest ever for a player over 30 years old. Ronaldo claimed that he joined Juventus in search of a new challenge, although media reports claimed that he left Los Blancos due to the lack of support by club president Florentino Pérez.
On 18th August, the Real Madrid legend made his Juventus debut in a in a 3–2 away win against Chievo Verona. Later on 19th September, Ronaldo was Controversially sent off in his Champions League debut for Juve against Valencia. He returned for the home fixture against Valencia though, where he made his 100th Champions League appearance. Thus, he became the first ever player to achieve this feat.
Ronaldo won his first Juventus title the following year, scoring the only goal against AC Milan to help Juve clinch the 2018 Supercoppa Italiana. He eventually began to rediscover his best goalscoring form in Italy, as CR7 went on to score in nine consecutive away games in the league. In doing so, he equalled the Giuseppe Signori's single season Serie A record of most consecutive away games with at least one goal. The Portuguese repeated his Champions League heroics for Juventus as well, with Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick to help Juve make a legendary comeback against Atlético in the round of 16. As the season ended, Ronaldo won his first Serie A title, and became the first player to win league titles in England, Spain and Italy. With 21 goals and eight assists, Ronaldo also won the league award for Most Valuable Player.
The Juventus forward continued to score goals and breaks record in the following season. Juve's win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League group stage saw Ronaldo break former teammate Iker Casillas' record for most Champions League wins of all time. Later on, Ronaldo scored his first Serie A hat-trick in a 4-0 victory over Cagliari. This was his 56th career hat-trick, and he also became the second player after Alexis Sánchez to score hat-tricks in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A. He then went on to score in 11 consecutive league games, equalling yet another record that saw join the likes of Gabriel Batistuta and Fabio Quagliarella.
Juventus went on to finish that season with yet another Serie A title, with Ronaldo adding another major title to his magnificent collection. He went on to break a few more personal records as well throughout the reminder of the season. These included the highest scoring Portuguese player in Serie A history, the first player in history to reach 50 goals in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, and second player after Edin Džeko to score 50 goals in three of Europe's top five major leagues. Furthermore, at the age of 35 years and 166 days, he became the oldest player to score over 30 goals in one of the five top European leagues since Ronnie Rooke with Arsenal in 1948. He also finished that season with 37 goals in all competitions, which saw him break Borel's club record of 36 goals in a single season.
On 12th May, Ronaldo scored a goal in a 3–1 away win over Sassuolo. This was his 100th goal for the Old Lady, and he achieved this feat in 131 games. Thus, he became the fastest Juventus player to achieve the feat. The Old Lady later won the 2021 Coppa Italia Final on May 19th, and with that title, Ronaldo became the first player in history to win every major domestic trophy in England, Spain and Italy. He ended that season with 29 league goals, winning the Capocannoniere award for highest goalscorer. Thus, he further enhanced his legendary status by becoming the first footballer to finish as top scorer in the English, Spanish and Italian leagues.
At the beginning of the following season, there were rumours that Ronaldo was seeking a new challenge, and his time at Juventus was coming to an end. Manchester City were believed to be the favourites to sign the player, but as fate would have it, what occurred was a nostalgic return to Old Trafford. With former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and several of his told United teammates convincing him, Ronaldo decided to reject City and return to Manchester United. This also meant that his chapter in Italy was finally over.
6. Return to Manchester United (2021–2022)
What was seen as a dream that'll never be fulfilled ended up as a reality, as the decade-long wait of United fans to see Ronaldo in Red finally took place. In what was undoubtedly one of the most popular transfers in football history , United announced the return of Ronaldo to Manchester on 27th August 2021. The excitement and frenzy was simply immense, with the first 24 hours of Ronaldo's shirt sales reported to have broken the all-time record following a transfer. It ended up overtaking the record set by Leo Messi's move to PSG.
On 11th September, Ronaldo made his second debut at Old Trafford, scoring a brace in a 4–1 league victory against Newcastle United. It was seen as a sign of great things to come, as if a king was ready to take a fallen giant back to greatness. Ronaldo began to be influential for the Red Devils, scoring several crucial last-minute goals in the Champions League for United. He also overtook Iker Casillas as the player with the most appearances in the competition. CR7 continued his great form in the league as well, scoring a brace against Arsenal in a 3–2 home league win on 2nd December. Despite his excellent individual heroics, Manchester United struggled as a team, and Ronaldo had a fractured relationship with his teammates and interim manager. Nonetheless, He finished the season with 24 goals in all competitions. These feats saw him being named in the Premier League Team of the Year and the winner of United's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award. However, Manchester United finished in a disappointing sixth place and qualified for the UEFA Europa League. This meant that Ronaldo went trophyless for the first time since 2010.
In the months that went by, Ronaldo was disappointed with the club both on and off the field. Whether it was the relationship with his teammates or the direction the club was going, he was immensely frustrated at the club. The Portuguese forward also wanted to play in the Champions League, and tried to force a transfer. However, those attempts failed. To make matters worse, he fell out with new manager Erik ten Hag, who used him as a substitute. The ultimate breakdown in relationship between club and player came after Ronaldo did an interview with Piers Morgan, where Ronaldo said that he felt "betrayed" by Ten Hag and criticized the management of the club. This was the final nail in the coffin, as this led United to terminate his contract on 22nd November.
What was seen as a dream comeback sadly ended in an absolutely embarrassing disaster.
7. International Career: Leading Portugal to Glory
An 18-year old Ronaldo made his Portugal debut as a substitute against Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003. He was then selected for the UEFA Euro 2004 cup, where he scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to Greece. Portugal went on to reach the finals of the tournament on home soil, only to suffer yet another heartbreaking loss to Greece in the final. Ronaldo's efforts didn't go unnoticed though, as he was included in the team of the tournament.
2 years later, the Portuguese winger took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He went on to score in the tournament, and became the youngest ever goalscorer for Portugal in a World Cup at age 21 years and 132 days. Portugal managed to reach the semi-finals, where they suffered a loss against France. Despite his excellence on the field, Ronaldo's behavior had resulted in criticism at the time. This led to him being overlooked for the tournament's Best Young Player award, which then went to Germany's Lukas Podolski.
Ronaldo went on to score 8 goals in the qualification phase of the UEFA Euro 2008 Cup, which was the second-highest tally. However, he only managed to score one in the main tournament. This was in a 3–1 win in the group stage against Czech Republic Portugal were eventually eliminated in the quarter-finals after a 3–2 loss to Germany.
The disappointing form continued for CR7, As he failed to score in the 2010 World Cup qualifying stages. In the main tournament, he yet again only managed to score a single goal. Despite this, he was named as man of the match in all three group stage matches against Ivory Coast, North Korea and Brazil.
He eventually achieved individual redemption in UEFA Euro 2012, as Ronaldo finished as joint top scorer with three goals, which was enough for him to be included in the team of the tournament. He then went on to score 8 goals in the qualification phase of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, even these efforts weren't enough for Portugal to gain direct qualification. A playoff match was held again Sweden, where Ronaldo scored scored all four goals to help Portugal qualify. Despite Portugal's lackluster performance in the 2014 World Cup, Ronaldo was reliable as usual. He assisted a last-minute 2–2 equalizer against the United States, and also scored an 80th-minute winner in a 2–1 win over Ghana.
Ronaldo's greatest international achievement came in 2016, as he led Portugal to their first-ever trophy at the UEFA Euro 2016. He was instrumental in helping Portugal reach the finals with outstanding performances. However, he was injured and subbed off in the 25th minute in the final against hosts France. Despite this, he showcased his immense mentality and dedication to the game, emotionally cheering for his team and giving instructions from the sidelines. Portugal ultimately ended up making history, as they beat France to achieve European glory. Ronaldo received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer of the tournament, and the Euro victory also helped him get his fourth Ballon d'Or later that year.
This Euro victory also meant that Portugal qualified and made its only appearance in the FIFA Confederations Cup held in Russia. They finished the competition in third place, with Ronaldo being named man of the match in all three of Portugal's group stage matches.
The 2018 World Cup saw one of Ronaldo's most memorable performances on the international stage. He scored an unforgettable hat-trick to help Portugal clinch a 3-3 draw against Spain. In the following match, Ronaldo scored against Morocco to seal a 1-0 victory for Portugal. This goal saw him break Puskás' record as the highest European goalscorer of all time with 85 international goals. His performance in the World Cup also saw him named in the World Cup Dream Team.
Ronaldo led Portugal yet another silverware in 2019, which was the UEFA Nations League. He also earned the top scorer award for the tournament. Further individual success followed him the next year, as he won the Golden Boot as top scorer of Euro 2020. Ronaldo also made history by becoming the first player to score at five European Championships. On 23th June 2021, Ronaldo scored a brace in a Euro 2020 match against France. In doing so, he became the world's top international goal-scorer , breaking the previous record held by Ali Daei. Further records were broken by CR7 later on, as he broke the record for the most international caps received by a European player, and also became the first player to score 10 hat-tricks in men's international football.
In the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo scored a penalty goal against Ghana. Thus, he became the first player to score at five World Cups. However, a dispute with coach Fernando Santos led to Ronaldo being dropped for Portugal's round of 16 game against Morocco. This was the first time since Euro 2008 that he had not started a game for Portugal in a major international tournament, and also the first time Portugal had started a knockout game without Ronaldo in the starting line-up at an international tournament since Euro 2000. Portugal ultimately ended up losing to Morocco in the quarter finals and crashed out of the tournament.
Putting the World Cup heartbreak behind him, Ronaldo went on to break more international records. He went on to become the most capped male footballer of all time, and also became the first player in the history of men's international football to make 200 appearances for his country.
Ronaldo's participation in the recently concluded UEFA Euro 2024 made him the first player to feature in six European Championships, having previously been the first player to appear in five. On 5th September, Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal in a 2–1 victory over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League. Thus he continues to score and inspire his national team.
8. Individual Awards and Records
Goal-Scoring Records
Most goals in UEFA Champions League: 140 goals
Most goals in UEFA European Championship: 14 goals
Most goals in FIFA Club World Cup: 7 goals
Most goals in a single UEFA Champions League season: 17 goals (2013-14)
Most international goals: 123 goals (as of September 2024)
Most appearances for Portugal national team: 214 matches
Most goals in a single La Liga season: 48 goals (2011-12)
Most goals in a single Serie A season: 31 goals (2018-19)
Most goals in a single Premier League season: 31 goals (2007-08)
Career Achievements
5x Ballon d'Or winner
3x FIFA Men's Player of the Year
5x UEFA Champions League winner
7x domestic league champion
4x FIFA Club World Cup winner
15x FIFA FIFPro World XI
11x UEFA Team of the Year
Most goals in a single UEFA Champions League knockout stage: 10 goals (2013-14)
Most goals in a single UEFA Champions League group stage: 11 goals (2017-18, 2021-22)
Most goals in a single UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign: 15 goals (2018)
Most goals in a single FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign: 15 goals (2022)
Other Records
Most appearances in UEFA Champions League: 183 matches
Most hat-tricks in UEFA Champions League: 8
Most goals in a single UEFA Champions League final: 4 (2017)
Most appearances in a UEFA Champions League final: 5
Most goals in a single FIFA World Cup: 8
Most goals in a single UEFA Euro: 9
Most goals in a single UEFA Nations League: 6
Most goals in a single UEFA Super Cup: 4
Most goals in a single FIFA Confederations Cup: 7
Most goals scored in a single calendar year: 61 goals (2013)
9. Off-the-Field Impact: Business and Philanthropy
After gaining immense popularity at Manchester United, Ronaldo had signed numerous deals to promote various products. These included soft drinks, clothing, automotive lubricants, financial services, electronics, and video games. Since 2012, he has worn the Nike Mercurial Vapor personalised CR7 edition, which has immensely benefited the brand. Ronaldo has also appeared in numerous covers of Pro Evolution Soccer, and was also the cover star of FIFA 18.
Ronaldo also boasts of a massive social media presence, and is in-fact the most followed person worldwide across all social media channels. He is The most-followed person on Facebook (170 million), most-followed on Instagram (631 million) and most-followed sportsperson on Twitter (111 million). His sponsors even earned around $936 million in media value across his accounts between June 2016 and June 2017.
The former Real Madrid star launched his YouTube channel as well recently, named as UR Cristiano, on 21 August 2024. It became the fastest to reach the 1 million subscribers milestone, doing so in 90 minutes. Later on, The channel also became the fastest to reach 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 million subscribers.
Let us now look at some of Ronaldo's major businesses:
Pestana CR7 – This is a hotel chain venture that’s jointly owned by Cristiano Ronaldo and Pestana Hotel Group, with the latter being a Portuguese company in the tourism sector. The first hotel was built in Ronaldo’s local place of Funchal, Madeira. However, it has now expanded to Lisbon, Madrid and New York City.
Gym and Fitness Centre - As a fitness inspiration for millions around the world, it would’ve been a surprise if CR7 did not have a gym chain owned by him. The Portuguese signed a deal with Crunch Franchise in 2016 to open CR7 Crunch Fitness. They currently operate in Spain and Portugal.
CR7 Brand - With his good looks, cool style, and exquisite physique, it’s not surprising to see why Ronaldo has his own personal brand. CR7 produces a wide range of products including clothing, footwear, fragrance, eyewear and accessories. He also has a company that manufactures innerwear for both men and women. Additionally, the United legend has collaborated with a British perfume manufacturer to produce Eden Perfume Cristiano Ronaldo Fragrance.
Restaurants - The likes of Rafael Nadal, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gasol and singer Enrique Iglesias all have a stake in Grupo Mabel Capital. This is the company behind the elite restaurant Zela. They have numerous restaurants spread across Ibiza, Beverly Hills, Doha and Madrid.
Hair clinic - As a person who’s immensely concerned about his looks, this isn’t the most surprising inclusion in this list. During his time at Juventus, Ronaldo opened a hair clinic in Spain to help people that offered transplant services. In fact, his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez is the executor of this company. They also have several branches of the clinic in Portugal.
Private jet - This might be the most surprising addition in this list, is absolutely true. Ronaldo also owns private jets that he employs in the rental business. It is believed that he rents them out at around three thousand euros per hour, and is known to be one of his most profitable ventures.
Ronaldo has also invested in various health startups, tech startups and energy companies as well. This list is bound to keep growing, especially as his playing career is coming to an end.
The Portuguese legend is also known for his philanthropic works. Throughout his life, he has made various donations, sold valuable accolades for charity, become brand ambassador for great causes, and done numerous other things to help the poor and needy. Thus, he has proven himself to be a winner both on and off the field. Here are some of his major philanthropic contributions:
Auctioning his European Golden Boot and Ballon d’Or - Ronaldo had auctioned off his 2011 Golden Boot and 2013 Ballon d’Or trophy at separate occasions. He managed to raise millions by doing this, with all the funds going to charity.
Role as ambassador - Ronaldo has used his influential position to became globar ambassador for three major charities, Save the Children, Unicef and World Vision. Additionally, he has spoken up for even more organizations.
Donating his bonus rewards - Ronaldo always does his talking on the field, and has earned numerous bonus rewards throughout his career. He is known to have transferred these bonus payments he has received for charities.
In addition to these, he has helped the needy on numerous occasions, whether it was financially or by meeting them and fulfilling their dreams.
10. Legacy: What Makes Ronaldo a Legend?
It has been more than a decade since the GOAT debate has been raging around the world between Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi. There were times when many felt the Argentine had the upper hand, while others felt that Ronaldo had the edge over his achievements in the years that followed. However, once Leo Messi lifted the World Cup in 2022, many considered the GOAT debate to be done and dusted, with Argentina coming out on top.
However, the simple truth is that the GOAT debate would never end, and is bound to linger till eternity. Some may always prefer Leo, and some may always prefer Ronaldo, regardless of what more they go on to achieve in the final stages of their career. The fact that the world got to enjoy the excellence of two extraordinary talents for more than a decade was the biggest reward for all in reality, rather than the comparison of who is the better of these football immortals.
One thing however, cannot be denied. Every single fan would acknowledge how Leo Messi had the natural God-given talent from day one. This is where Ronaldo stands out for many, and why influence may stand taller than the Argentine for the next generation of football stars and aspiring individuals around the world. In the case of Ronaldo, it was all about hard-work, motivation, consistency, and an elite mindset.
CR7's career is a living proof to the world of how one can defy the odds and achieve eternal greatness through constant hard work and self belief, regardless if they possess the natural talent or not. His emphasis on training, strong mentality, consistency, passion, and healthy eating have inspired millions around the world, in a way Leo Messi never has. Thus, while the GOAT debate may be in Messi's favor, Ronaldo's influence in world football and even beyond it for who he is and what he stands for is what truly makes him a legend with a legacy that I'll truly live on forever.
All these qualities in CR7 have continued to inspire millions, including the current crop of football superstars who have idolized him, from Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior, to Erling Haaland.
The legend of Cristiano Ronaldo has a few more chapters to be written, and it'll undoubtedly uplift what has already been an inspiring tale of hard work and glory.
Conclusion: The Journey of a Legend Continues
After a historic 2 decade-long career at the European stage, Ronaldo shocked the world by moving to the Middle East and joining Saudi club Al-Nassr. The move also saw him receive the highest football salary ever at €200 million per year. This includes a guaranteed football salary of €90 million, with commercial and sponsorship deals bringing his total annual salary to €200 million.
At Al Nassr, Ronaldo has continued to do what he does best, which is score goals. Even at the age of 39, he is still scoring goals for fun and enjoying the beautiful game. Beyond his goalscoring exploits in Saudi, it was the revolution he brought to Saudi football that showcases his immense influence in the current generation of football players.
After Ronaldo's arrival, a plethora of exquisite talent have followed him to Saudi, most notably the likes of Neymar, Benzema, and N'Golo Kanté. The magnificent list of players who shift to Saudi are growing each year, and Ronaldo has undoubtedly been the catalyst that has transformed Saudi Football.
After the 2022 World Cup, many were of the opinion that his arch-rival Leo Messi had finally settled the GOAT debate in football. However, there are millions of individuals who still consider Ronaldo to be the GOAT. While these opinions may vary, there is no doubt that his commitment, discipline, longevity, and mentality are an inspiration for any individual in this world, regardless of whether they love football or not.
He also went on to achieve all these after enduring a difficult childhood that was filled with poverty and various other difficulties. CR7 is the ultimate example that giving up is never an option, and that one is bound to succeed in life if they put in all the hard work with dedication and self belief. He will forever be one of the greatest players football has ever seen.
Interested in reading more about football’s greatest stars? Dive into the careers of various football legends. Click below to explore the stories behind the legends: Read More Football Legends
