ronaldo biography sketch

Cristiano Ronaldo

Who Is Cristiano Ronaldo?

In the 2004 FA Cup final, Ronaldo scored Manchester's first three goals and helped them capture the championship. He set a franchise record for goals scored in 2008, before Real Madrid paid a record $131 million for his services the following year.

Among his many accomplishments, he has won a record-tying five Ballon d'Or awards for player of the year, and led Portugal to an emotional victory in the 2016 European Championship. In July 2018, Ronaldo embarked on a new phase of his career by signing with Italian Serie A club Juventus .

Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, a small island off the western coast of the country. Ronaldo is the youngest of four children born to Maria Dolores dos Santos and José Dinis Aveiro. He was named after 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. Ronaldo was introduced to the game of soccer through his dad, who worked as an equipment manager at a boy's club.

His early life was shaped by hardship, as his father often drank too much. To help keep the children fed and maintain some financial stability, Ronaldo's mother worked as a cook and cleaning person.

In 2005, when Ronaldo was playing for Manchester United, his father died from alcohol-related kidney problems; in 2007, his mother struggled with breast cancer. The former was especially hard for Ronaldo since he and his dad had been close.

The young athlete had often pushed for his father to enter rehab and address his drinking. His father, however, never accepted the offer.

By the time he was 10 years old, Ronaldo was already recognized as a phenomenon — a kid who ate, slept and drank soccer. "All he wanted to do as a boy was play football," his godfather, Fernao Sousa, recalled for British reporters, adding, "He loved the game so much he'd miss meals or escape out of his bedroom window with a ball when he was supposed to be doing his homework."

By his early teens, Ronaldo's talent and legend had grown considerably. After a stint with Nacional da liha da Madeira, he signed with Sporting Portugal in 2001.

Soccer Career

Manchester united.

In 2001, when Ronaldo was just 16 years old, Manchester United paid more than £12 million to sign him — a record fee for a player of his age.

Ronaldo had turned heads with a mesmerizing performance with Portugal against Manchester, 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.

Ronaldo did not disappoint the soccer world: 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.

Real Madrid

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.

"I know that they are going to demand a lot of me to be successful at the club and I know that I'm going to have much more pressure than at Manchester United because I was there for many years," Ronaldo told reporters. "But it means a new challenge and is going to help me be the best footballer."

Ronaldo went on to compile an impressive list of individual honors and team trophies. In December 2016, he won his fourth Ballon d'Or award as the sport's player of the year, beating out FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi .

Ronaldo’s 2016 wins included the European Championship, Champions League and Club World Cup, plus individual awards from UEFA and France Football magazine. The following year, he claimed a fifth Ballon d'Or to tie the mark held by his longtime rival, Messi.

After dropping hints that his time with Real was coming to an end, Ronaldo confirmed the rumors in July 2018 by signing with Italian Serie A club Juventus, which paid a $140 million transfer fee to his old Spanish club.

Ronaldo paid tribute to Real fans in an open letter on the club's website, writing: "These years at Real Madrid and in this city of Madrid have quite possibly been the happiest years of my life. I only have feelings of great gratitude to this club, to the fans and to the city. I can only give thanks to all of them for the love and affection that I have received."

By most measures, Ronaldo's debut season with Juventus was a successful one. He scored 10 times in his first 14 games, and headed home the lone goal in a win over AC Milan for the Supercoppa Italiana trophy. After leading his club to its eighth consecutive Serie A title, he was named the league's MVP in May 2019.

Return to Manchester United

On August 27, 2021, it was announced that Ronaldo would return to Manchester United.

Portugal National Team

On July 10, 2016, Ronaldo added an emotional victory to his collection. As his national team's captain, Ronaldo led Portugal to the European Championship final against France.

Although he was sidelined after suffering a knee injury 25 minutes into the match, Portugal went on to win the championship title 1-0, their first international trophy. Ronaldo's teammates said that he motivated them as team captain from the sidelines.

"He gave us a lot of confidence and he said, 'Listen people, I'm sure we will win this Euro so stay together and fight for it,’” fullback Cedric Soares said after Portugal’s victory.

"This is one of the happiest moments in my career,” Ronaldo commented. ”I’ve always said I wanted to win a trophy with the national team and make history. And I did it. Thank God, things went well for us."

Ronaldo got off to a tremendous start at the 2018 World Cup, blasting home three goals in an opening draw vs. Spain, before adding another vs. Morocco to set a European record with his 85th international goal.

However, he was held scoreless in a 2-1 loss to Uruguay in the knockout stage, after which he declined to comment on his future with the national team.

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Personal Life

Ronaldo is dating the Spanish model Georgina Rodriguez; the couple was first seen together publicly around November 2016.

In June 2017, the couple welcomed twins, a boy and a girl, via a surrogate. In November 2017, Rodriguez added to their family with the birth of another girl.

Ronaldo’s first child, Cristiano Jr., was born to a former girlfriend in June 2010.

Statue at the Madeira Airport

In March 2017, self-taught sculptor Emanuel Santos unveiled a bronze bust of Ronaldo at the airport in Ronaldo’s hometown of Madeira, Portugal. The statue was ridiculed for its sinister smile and apparent lack of likeness to its subject, though Santos didn't seem to understand the uproar.

"I asked [Ronaldo] what he thought of the result and he said he liked it," said Santos. "He only asked for some wrinkles that give him a certain expression to his face when he laughs to be changed. He said it made him look older and asked for it to be thinned out a bit to make it smoother and more jovial."

In the wake of the negative publicity, the sports site Bleacher Report commissioned Santos to fashion another sculpture of Ronaldo. This one, unveiled in March 2018, earned praise for more closely resembling the soccer great, though its creator continued to defend his original work.

"I liked the result [of the first bust] and was really proud of it," he told Bleacher Report. "And if I had to do it again, I would make everything exactly the same."

Sexual Assault Investigation

In 2018, police in Las Vegas, Nevada, reopened a 9-year old investigation into claims that Ronaldo had raped a woman in his hotel room. The accuser also filed a civil lawsuit against the star athlete.

The following summer, the district attorney for Clark County, Nevada, announced that he had reviewed the case and would not be pursuing criminal charges against Ronaldo.

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Ronaldo
• Birth Year: 1985
• Birth date: February 5, 1985
• Birth City: Funchal, Madeira
• Birth Country: Portugal
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Cristiano Ronaldo is a professional soccer player who has set records while playing for the Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus clubs, as well as the Portuguese national team.
• Astrological Sign: Aquarius
• Nacionalities
• Interesting Facts
• When Cristiano Ronaldo was just 16 years old, Manchester United paid more than £12 million to sign him — a record fee for a player of his age.

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Cristiano Ronaldo Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/cristiano-ronaldo
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: August 31, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
• Many people look at me and think they know me, but they don't at all.
• My father always taught me that when you help other people, then God will give you double.
• Listen, I'm not going to change the world. You're not going to change the world. But we can help, we can all help.
• When I was younger I couldn't understand the meaning of true friendship. Now I have more experience and I know who loves me without wanting anything.
• It means a new challenge and is going to help me be the best footballer."[On leaving Manchester United to play for Real Madrid.]
• I want to win all the trophies possible!
• I don't like to do things by halves. It has to be done well.
• Either you like me or not. There is nothing in between.
• I look at the ball, I look at the net and I say to myself, 'Take the kick, Ronaldo,' then I shoot.
• The goals I have scored are a consequence of the confidence I have.
• I keep to my word, my promise and dreams. I'll never close any door to any club.

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Cristiano Ronaldo

• Born February 5 , 1985 · Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
• Birth name Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
• The Sultan Of The Stepover
• Pride of Portugal
• Height 6′ 1″ (1.85 m)
• Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on February 5, 1985, in Madeira, Portugal to Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro and José Diniz Aveiro. Cristiano has an elder brother, Hugo and two elder sisters, Elma and Liliana Cátia. His name was inspired by the former US-president, Ronald Reagan, whom his father was influenced by. The island of Madeira was also the place where Cristiano first learned to master his skills as a footballer. He spent his early years playing for his local team, Nacional, and by the time he turned 12 years old, he already made his name for himself as one of Madeira's top footballers . It wasn't long before he started to catch the attention of other big Portuguese clubs. Among Sporting was Benfica, a team Cristiano and his father followed as a young boy. However he eventually chose to play for Sporting which was a team his mother loved and followed as she was growing up, to play with the likes of Figo was the dream for her son. He was then spotted by former Liverpool manager, Gerard Houllier at the age of sixteen but Liverpool had no intentions to sign him at that time because they thought he was too young and he needed more time to develop his skills. However, in the summer of 2003, when Sporting played against Manchester United and defeated them, Cristiano caught the attention of Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. Ronaldo became Manchester United's first-ever Portuguese player. Initially, he requested for the number 28 as his jersey number because he didn't feel that he could live up to the pressure of previous players such as George Best and David Beckham who wore the number 7 jersey. The year 2006 to 2008 proved to be a rather controversial year for the star. In the 2006 World Cup, Cristiano faced accusations regarding his sportsmanship. In a quarter-final match against England, he was heavily criticized for sending of his club team mate, Wayne Rooney who was playing for the England team. It wasn't too long until fans started accepting Cristiano again. In 2007, he won PFA Young Player of the Year, PFA Player of the Year, PFA Fans' Player of the Year, Portuguese Footballer of the Year, FWA Footballer of the Year, Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year and Manchester United's Players' Player of the Year. The year 2008 also saw him taking back the PFA Player Of The Year Award for the second time running. That same year, Ronaldo also had to deal with controversies regarding his club transfer to Spanish giants, Real Madrid. He eventually chose to stay with Manchester United and stressed to the public that he had no intentions of leaving the club. Cristiano now lives with his cousin, Nuno and his brother in law Ze. When he is not on the field, he is a very family oriented person. Growing up, when he was about to choose football as his career, he said that it was very difficult for him as that would mean lesser time with his family, especially his mother, whom he says play a major role in his life. During his free time, Cristiano enjoys cooking. He mentioned in an interview that he usually cooks before he leaves for his soccer practice. Because he is constantly training, Cristiano rarely has time to watch TV. If he does get the time to watch, he says he loves watching one of the local Portuguese game show which is mostly about trivia questions. Cristiano is an avid learner and he takes interest in learning new things everyday. Among Cristiano's biggest pet peeves are smoking, people who don't make an effort and dishonesty. When the tsunami hit South East Asia, Cristiano flew to Indonesia to help those in need. He auctioned off a few stuff to help raise funds for charity. He hopes to get involved in more charity projects in the future because he believes his star status will help him reach out to others for help. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Ezequiel De Castilla
• Children Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. Alana Martina dos Santos Aveiro Mateo Ronaldo Eva Maria Dos Santos Bella Esmeralda dos Santos Aveiro
• After playing against Manchester United in a pre-season friendly the Manchester United players urged the manager to sign Cristiano on the the plane back to Manchester.
• Was signed by Manchester United as a long term replacement for David Beckham .
• Became the most expensive teenager in Britain in 2003.
• Scored Manchester United Football Club's 1,000th league goal against Middlesbrough Football Club.
• Flew to Indonesia to visit the areas affected by the tsunami and raised over 1 billion rupiah by auctioning off his personal sports gear.
• I would be very proud if, one day, I'm held in the same esteem as George Best or Beckham. It's what I'm working hard towards.
• Lots of young players have triumphed at United, so why can't it happen to me? I'm not worried I'm young - it's an incentive to do the best I can.
• The No 7 shirt is an honor and a responsibility. I hope it brings me a lot of luck.
• There is no harm in dreaming of becoming the world's best player. It is all about trying to be the best. I will keep working hard to achieve it but it is within my capabilities.
• I've never tried to hide the fact that it is my intention to be the best

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Cristiano Ronaldo

Introduction.

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. His father was the equipment manager for Andorinha, the local football club. Ronaldo first played for Clube Desportivo Nacional de Madeira and then transferred to Sporting Clube de Portugal (known as Sporting Lisbon). He played for various youth teams for Sporting Lisbon before making his debut on Sporting’s first team in 2002. Ronaldo’s position was originally a right-winger, but he developed into a forward.

Playing Career

Manchester united.

Ronaldo’s successful season with Sporting brought him to the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs. In 2003 he became the first Portuguese player to sign with Manchester United, one of England’s richest and best-supported football clubs. He was an instant sensation and soon came to be regarded as one of the best forwards in the game. His most successful season with Manchester United came in 2007–08. That season Ronaldo won the Golden Shoe award as Europe’s leading scorer and FIFA World Player of the Year honors. Ronaldo led Manchester United to a Champions League title in May 2008. In 2009 he led United to another Champions League final, but they lost to FC Barcelona.

Real Madrid

Ronaldo moved to the Spanish club Real Madrid the following season. During the 2010–11 season he scored the most goals (40) in La Liga (Spanish football league) history. (That record was broken the following season by Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona.) Ronaldo helped Madrid win the La Liga championship in 2011–12. In 2013 he earned his second world player of the year award. In 2014 Ronaldo scored 52 goals in 43 games. He led Madrid to a Champions League title, and he won another world player of the year award.

In October 2015 Ronaldo became Real Madrid’s all-time leading goal scorer when he netted his 324th goal. His play continued to lead the team to La Liga and Champions League titles. In 2016 he captured his fourth player of the year award, and his fifth came the next year. In the 2017–18 season Ronaldo scored 44 goals in 44 games, and Real Madrid won a third straight Champions League title.

In July 2018 he signed a contract with Juventus, one of Italy’s oldest and most successful clubs. He scored 101 goals during the 131 games he played for Juventus. Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in August 2021 but left the club in 2022.

National Team

Ronaldo made his first appearance on Portugal’s national team in 2003. He helped the team finish in fourth place at the 2006 World Cup. In 2008 he became full-time captain of the national team. In 2016 he helped Portugal win the European Championship. It was Portugal’s first major international tournament title. In September 2021 Ronaldo broke the record for most goals in international football when he scored his 110th and 111th goals during Portugal’s match against the Republic of Ireland. Ronaldo achieved another milestone at the World Cup in 2022. He scored a goal in Portugal’s opening match against Ghana. With that, he became the first male player in history to have scored a goal at five World Cups.

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Cristiano Ronaldo Biography

He is one of the most famous Portuguese soccer players in the world and has played for Manchester United and Real Madrid.

He is the highest paid footballer in the world and in the history of football. Each year he earns a base salary of $40 million and extra $30 million from endorsements.

Early Life of Cristiano Ronaldo

• Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985 and was named Ronaldo after the then US President Ronald Reagan.
• He grew up in a poor family and had to share a bedroom and bathroom with his older brother and two older sisters.
• He started playing soccer at an early age when he was just eight. He was always running away from doing homework.
• He was nicknamed ‘cry baby’ because he felt bad when he used to pass the ball to his friends and they couldn’t score.
• A very popular student in school, Ronaldo was expelled at the age of 14 for throwing a chair at his teacher who Ronaldo thought disrespected him. He then turned his entire attention to soccer and went on to become the world’s greatest soccer player.
• But at the age of 15 Ronaldo was diagnosed with ‘racing heart’. His condition was serious and would have made him let go of football . But a surgery saved him and he went back for his training.
• At the age of 17, Ronaldo played his first professional game for the ‘Portuguese Super League.’
• In 2003, for the first time, Manchester United paid such a young player 12 million pounds as a signing amount. After this there has been no looking back.
• Arnold Schwarzeneggar has labelled Ronaldo as the fittest athlete in the world. His body fat ratio is just 10%!
• Ronaldo has an amazing ability to jump really high. This gives him an advantage to make goals as he can jump head and shoulders higher than other footballers.
• He can produce 5 times more G-force than a cheetah during a take-off on his jump! His free kick speed is 13.1 kmph, equivalent to a space shuttle!

Recognition

• On June 2010 Ronaldo became the fourth footballer ever to have a wax statue at the Madame Tussauds museum in London.
• In his hometown there is a museum, Museu CR7 which is dedicated only to Ronaldo containing his trophies, medals, rare pictures and everything related to Ronaldo.
• Ronaldo was doubtful about wearing the Number 7 shirt because he thought it would be too much pressure on him as the number 7 shirt was worn by legends like Johnny Berry, Eric Cantona and David Beckham. After wearing it, he was forced to live up to the number.
• Ronaldo donates blood regularly and does not smoke or have any tattoos on his body.
• Ronaldo has won the FIFA world player of the year award, Ballon d’Or, the Golden Boot, and has been named the UEFA Club Forward of the Year as well.
• Ronaldo also has a fashion boutique named CR7 and models for men’s fashion wear. The store is famous for featuring diamond studded clothing.
• He is rich and famous but is always involved with charity, fund raising and donations to NGOs. He has funded schools in Gaza and also acts as the Ambassador to Save the Children and The Mangrove Care Forum in Indonesia.

To read more interesting biographies of famous people, browse though our huge collection of short biographies for kids.

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Thank you, CHRYS. Glad you liked it.

This is brilliant. I’ll use it as part of homework for my student of English who loves Ronaldo! This text is easy to read, so we won’t be stopping every two seconds for unknown words. Ronaldo is such a good role model as he teaches hard work & dedication.

I just love RONALDO He is mah Hero Its very good info about him????

I love Ronaldo. He is the best player in the world compared to others.

I love Cristiano Ronaldo. In my opinion, he is regarded as one of the best footballers in history!

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Cristiano Ronaldo summary

Cristiano Ronaldo , (born Feb. 5, 1985, Funchal, Madeira, Port.), Portuguese football (soccer) player. While playing with Manchester United (2003–09), he developed into one of the game’s best forwards, noted for his free-reined attacking style. In 2008 he helped United win a Champions League title, and that year he also was named FIFA World Player of the Year. In 2009 he joined Real Madrid. He won a second world player of the year award (renamed the FIFA Ballon d’Or) after scoring 66 goals in 2013.

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