Cristiano Ronaldo
Photo: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons24

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portuguese footballer (born 1985)

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both the Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team. Nicknamed CR7, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Cristiano Ronaldo (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Feb 5, 1985.1

About

He has won numerous individual accolades throughout his career, including five Ballons d'Or, a record three UEFA Men's Player of the Year Awards, and four European Golden Shoes. He was named the world's best player five times by FIFA.

Ronaldo is one of the most decorated players in the history of professional football. His 35 trophies include five UEFA Champions Leagues, two UEFA Nations Leagues and the UEFA European Championship. He is the only player to have scored 100 goals with four different clubs and to finish as the top scorer in four different domestic leagues. He has made over 1,300 professional career appearances, the most by an outfield player, and has scored over 980 official senior career goals for club and country, making him the top goalscorer in the history of the sport.

Ronaldo began his career with Sporting CP before signing with Manchester United in 2003. He helped the club win three consecutive Premier League titles, the 2007–08 Champions League, and the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup. For his performances in 2007–08, Ronaldo was awarded his first Ballon d'Or at age 23. In 2009, he joined Real Madrid in a deal worth €94 million (£80 million), which was the most expensive transfer in history at the time. He helped Madrid win four Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles, and became the club's all-time top goalscorer. He joined Juventus in 2018 and helped them win two consecutive Serie A titles and the Coppa Italia. He returned briefly to Manchester United before joining Al-Nassr in 2023. He was the Saudi Pro League's top scorer in 2024 and 2025, and led Al-Nassr to the league title in 2026.

Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal in 2003 at the age of 18. He helped them reach the final of Euro 2004, and was named captain ahead of Euro 2008. He led Portugal to victory at Euro 2016 and at the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025. Ronaldo holds the records for most international appearances (234), most men's international goals (146), and most international victories (141). He was named in the UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year in 2015, the All-time UEFA Euro XI in 2016, and the Ballon d'Or Dream Team in 2020. In recognition of his record-breaking goalscoring success, he received special FIFA awards for Outstanding Career Achievement in 2021.

From Wikipedia’s article on Cristiano Ronaldo, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2

Companies

Early life and education

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on 5 February 1985 in the São Pedro parish of Funchal, the capital of the Portuguese island of Madeira. He grew up in the nearby parish of Santo António. His mother, Maria Dolores dos Santos Viveiros Aveiro, worked as a cook in the hospitality industry and as a cleaning woman. His father, José Dinis Aveiro, was a municipal gardener at the Junta de Freguesia of Santo António and a part-time kit man for the football club Andorinha. Ronaldo's father had served in the Portuguese Army during the Portuguese Colonial War and saw combat in Angola; he was traumatized by his experiences, which led to a lifelong struggle with alcoholism. Ronaldo has Cape Verdean ancestry through his great-grandmother, Isabel da Piedade, who was born on the island of São Vicente, in what was then Portuguese Cape Verde.

Ronaldo has an older brother, Hugo, and two older sisters, Elma and Liliana "Kátia" Cátia. His father was an admirer of United States president Ronald Reagan, and named Ronaldo after him. Ronaldo's mother revealed that she had wanted to abort him due to poverty, his father's alcoholism, and having too many children already, but her doctor refused to perform the procedure. Ronaldo grew up in an impoverished Catholic home, sharing a room with all his siblings, and continues to identify as a Catholic in his adulthood. He idolised the Brazilian footballers Ronaldinho and Ronaldo during his youth.

As a child, Ronaldo played for Andorinha from 1992 to 1995, and later spent two years with Nacional. In 1997, at age 12, he went on a three-day trial with Sporting CP, which signed him for a fee of £1,500. He moved from Madeira to Lisbon to join Sporting CP's youth system, and attended school at Escola EB2 de Telheiras, located in the city's Telheiras area. While popular with other students, he struggled with his school responsibilities. He was expelled after throwing a chair at his teacher, who he said had "disrespected" him. A year later, he was diagnosed with tachycardia, a condition that threatened to end his football career. He underwent cardiac ablation, a type of heart surgery in which a laser is used to cauterise multiple cardiac pathways into one, which altered his resting heart rate. He was discharged from the hospital hours after the procedure and resumed training a few days later.

By age 14, Ronaldo believed he had the ability to play football semi-professionally. He made an agreement with his mother and his Sporting CP tutor, Leonel Pontes, to cease his education and focus entirely on football. He did not complete schooling beyond the 6th grade. In 2021, Ronaldo's mother stated in an interview that her son would have been a bricklayer if he had not become a professional football player.

From Wikipedia’s article on Cristiano Ronaldo (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: fashion entrepreneur, athlete, actor, model, association football player.3

Club career

Sporting CP

After impressing Sporting while playing for their youth teams, Ronaldo was promoted to the first team by manager László Bölöni. On 14 August 2002, at age 17, Ronaldo played his first official match for the first team, in a UEFA Champions League qualifying round against Inter Milan. His Primeira Liga debut occurred a month later against Braga, and on 7 October he scored two goals against Moreirense in Sporting's 3–0 win. After Sporting defeated Manchester United 3–1 in a friendly on 6 August 2003, United manager Alex Ferguson was determined to acquire Ronaldo, describing him as "one of the most exciting young players" he had ever seen.

Manchester United

2003–2007: Development and breakthrough

On 12 August 2003, less than a week after the match that impressed Ferguson, Manchester United signed Ronaldo for £12 million, an England record for a teenager. He was the first Portuguese player to sign for the club. Although he requested the number 28, his number at Sporting, he received the squad number 7 shirt, which had previously been worn by such United players as George Best, Eric Cantona and David Beckham. Wearing the number 7 became an extra source of motivation for Ronaldo. He would later describe Ferguson as his "father in sport" and "one of the most important and influential factors" in his career.

Ronaldo made his debut for United as a substitute in a 4–0 win over Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League on 16 August 2003. His performance earned praise from Best, who hailed it as "undoubtedly the most exciting debut" he had ever seen. Ronaldo scored his first goal for the club from a free kick in a 3–0 win over Portsmouth on 1 November. On 15 May 2004, he scored the opening goal in a victory against Aston Villa, and received the first red card of his career. He finished his first season in England with a trophy, scoring the opening goal in United's 3–0 win over Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup Final.

At the start of the 2004–05 season, Ronaldo provided a goal and an assist against Aston Villa and scored twice against Arsenal. He won his second trophy in English football, the Football League Cup, after scoring the third goal in United's 4–0 final win over Wigan Athletic. During his third season in England, Ronaldo was involved in several incidents. He clashed with his teammate Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took offence at Ronaldo's showboating style of play. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo was involved in an incident which resulted in his club teammate Wayne Rooney being sent off. Afterwards, Ronaldo publicly asked for a transfer, saying that United had not supported him during the incident. United denied his request. Although his World Cup altercation with Rooney resulted in Ronaldo being booed throughout the 2006–07 season, he scored 20 league goals for the first time as United won the Premier League title.

Read more

2007–2009: Collective and individual success and Ballon d'Or

For the 2006–07 season, Ronaldo won the Player's Player, Fans' Player and Young Player of the Year awards from the Professional Footballers' Association, and the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year award. He was named runner-up to Kaká for the 2007 Ballon d'Or, and finished third for the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year award, behind Kaká and Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo scored his first hat-trick for United in a 6–0 win against Newcastle United on 12 January 2008. His 31 league goals in the season earned him the Premier League Golden Boot, and he became the first winger to win the European Golden Shoe. For the second consecutive season, he received the PFA Players' Player of the Year award and the FWA Footballer of the Year award. On 21 May, United defeated Chelsea in the Champions League final in a penalty shoot-out after a 1–1 draw, with Ronaldo scoring his team's only goal. As the Champions League top scorer, Ronaldo was named the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year. Ronaldo became United's first Ballon d'Or winner since George Best in 1968, and the first Premier League player to be named the FIFA World Player of the Year.

Shortly after, United alleged that Real Madrid was pursuing Ronaldo, and filed a tampering complaint with FIFA. The governing body declined to take action against Madrid, and Ronaldo remained at United for another year. In the 2009 Champions League, his match-winning goal against Porto earned him the inaugural FIFA Puskás Award, which recognises the best goal of the year.

Real Madrid

2009–2015: World record transfer and consecutive Ballon d'Or wins

In 2009, Ronaldo transferred to Real Madrid for £80 million, a world record transfer fee at the time. He was unveiled in front of 80,000 fans at the Santiago Bernabéu, and said that playing for Real Madrid had been his childhood dream. He made his La Liga debut against Deportivo La Coruña on 29 August, scoring once in a 3–2 win. He became the first Madrid player to scored in each of his first four league games. He scored his first two Champions League goals for the club in September, in the first group match against Zürich. In October, he suffered an ankle injury while on international duty, which kept him sidelined for seven weeks. He finished the season with 33 goals across all competitions.

Following Raúl's departure from the club, Ronaldo was given the No. 7 shirt for the 2010–11 season. He scored 53 goals during the season and earned his first trophy in Spain as Madrid won the Copa del Rey. He became the first player to score 40 goals in a La Liga season. In addition to the Pichichi Trophy, Ronaldo won the European Golden Shoe for a second time, becoming the first player to win the award in different leagues.

During the 2011–12 season, Ronaldo scored 60 goals across all competitions and led Madrid to their first league title in four years with a record 100 points. He finished runner-up for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or behind Lionel Messi. He scored his 100th league goal for Madrid in a 5–1 win over Real Sociedad on 24 March 2012, breaking the previous club record held by Ferenc Puskás. In the 2012–13 season, Ronaldo scored his first hat-trick in the Champions League in a 4–1 win over Ajax. Ronaldo finished second in voting for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or, again behind Messi. On 6 January, he captained Madrid for the first time in an official match, scoring twice in a 4–3 win over Sociedad.

During the 2013–14 season, Madrid's attacking trio of Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema was popularly dubbed "BBC" (an acronym of Bale, Benzema and Cristiano). Ronaldo scored 69 goals in 2013, winning the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or. In 2014, he helped Madrid win their tenth UEFA Champions League title, scoring once in their 4–1 final win over Atlético Madrid. As the competition's top goalscorer for the third time, with a record 17 goals, he was named the UEFA Best Player in Europe. He scored 31 goals in 30 league games during the season, which earned him the European Golden Shoe (shared with Luis Suárez) and the Pichichi Trophy. On 4 May, he scored a back-heeled volley in the closing moments of a match against Valencia, which was voted the goal of the season by the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LFP), earning him the Best Player in La Liga award.

During the 2014–15 season, Ronaldo set a new personal best of 61 goals. After winning the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup, Ronaldo received the 2014 Ballon d'Or. He finished as top scorer in the Champions League for a third consecutive season, with 10 goals (tied with Messi and Neymar). On 5 April, he scored five goals in a game for the first time in his career, including an eight-minute hat-trick, in a 9–1 win over Granada. His 300th goal for Madrid followed three days later in a 2–0 win against Rayo Vallecano. He finished the season with 48 league goals, winning a second consecutive Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Shoe for a record fourth time.

2015–2018: All-time Champions League and Real Madrid top scorer and fifth Ballon d'Or

Ronaldo became Real Madrid's all-time top scorer on 12 September 2015 against Espanyol, his 230 goals surpassing the total of the previous record holder, Raúl. He also became the all-time top scorer in the Champions League with a hat-trick in the first group match against Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2015–16 competition. Two goals against Malmö FF in a 2–0 win on 30 September saw him reach 500 career goals for club and country. In the Champions League final, Ronaldo scored the winning goal in the penalty shoot-out against city rivals Atlético Madrid, winning his third Champions League title. He won the 2016 Ballon d'Or and the inaugural Best FIFA Men's Player.

In the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals against Bayern Munich in April 2017, Ronaldo scored both goals in a 2–1 win which saw him become the first player to reach 100 goals in UEFA club competition. On 17 May, he scored twice against Celta de Vigo to surpass Jimmy Greaves as the all-time top scorer in the top five European leagues. He finished the season with 42 goals in all competitions and helped Madrid win the La Liga title. In the 2017 Champions League final, Ronaldo scored two goals in a 4–1 victory over Juventus to bring him to 12 goals for the season, making him the competition's top goalscorer for the fifth straight season.

On 23 October, his performances throughout 2017 saw him awarded The Best FIFA Men's Player award for the second consecutive year. A day later, Ronaldo won the 2017 Ballon d'Or, receiving his fifth-time award on the Eiffel Tower in Paris. On 3 April 2018, Ronaldo scored the first two goals in a 3–0 away win against Juventus in the quarter-finals of the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League, with his second goal being an acrobatic bicycle kick. Described as a "PlayStation goal" by Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli, with Ronaldo's foot approximately 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) off the ground, it garnered him a standing ovation from the opposing fans in the stadium as well as a plethora of plaudits from peers, pundits and coaches.

In the final on 26 May, Madrid defeated Liverpool 3–1, winning Ronaldo his fifth Champions League title, the first player to do so. He finished as the top scorer of the tournament for the sixth consecutive season with 15 goals. After the final, Ronaldo referred to his time with Madrid in the past tense, sparking speculation that he could leave the club.

Juventus

2018–2020: Consecutive Serie A titles

Ronaldo joined Juventus in 2018 for €100 million, the transfer was the highest ever for a player over 30 years old and the highest paid by an Italian club. Upon signing, Ronaldo cited his need for a new challenge as his rationale for departing Madrid, but later attributed the transfer to the lack of support he felt was shown by club president Florentino Pérez. On 18 August, Ronaldo made his debut in a 3–2 away win against Chievo Verona. On 19 September, in his first Champions League match for Juve, he was sent off against Valencia, his first red card in 154 Champions League appearances. In the reverse (home) leg against Valencia, Cristiano won 100 Champions League matches, becoming the first ever player to do so.

Ronaldo won his first trophy with the club on 16 January 2019, the 2018 Supercoppa Italiana, after he scored the only goal from a header against AC Milan. On 10 February, Ronaldo scored in a 3–0 win over Sassuolo, the ninth consecutive away game in which he had scored in the league, equalling Giuseppe Signori's single season Serie A record of most consecutive away games with at least one goal. On 12 March, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 home win against Atlético in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, helping Juventus overcome a two-goal deficit to reach the quarter-finals. On 20 April, Ronaldo played in the scudetto clinching game against Fiorentina, as Juventus won their eighth successive title after a 2–1 home win, thereby becoming the first player to win league titles in England, Spain and Italy. With 21 goals and eight assists, Ronaldo won the league award for Most Valuable Player.

On 1 October, he reached several milestones in Juventus's 3–0 Champions League group stage win over Bayer Leverkusen including breaking Iker Casillas' record for most Champions League wins of all time. On 18 December, Ronaldo leapt to a height of 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m), higher than the crossbar, to head the winning goal in a 2–1 away win against Sampdoria. He scored his first Serie A hat-trick on 6 January 2020, in a 4–0 home win against Cagliari and became only the second player to score hat-tricks in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A. On 22 February, Ronaldo scored for a record-equalling 11th consecutive league game, alongside Gabriel Batistuta and Fabio Quagliarella, in what was his 1,000th senior professional game, a 2–1 away win against SPAL. On 22 June, he scored a penalty in a 2–0 away win over Bologna, overtaking Rui Costa to become the highest scoring Portuguese player in Serie A history. On 20 July, Ronaldo scored twice in a 2–1 home win over Lazio; his first goal was his 50th in Serie A. He became the first player in history to reach 50 goals in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, and becoming the second player after Edin Džeko to score 50 goals in three of Europe's top five major leagues. Moreover, he became the oldest player, at the age of 35 years and 166 days, to score over 30 goals in one of the five top European leagues since Ronnie Rooke with Arsenal in 1948. On 26 July, Ronaldo scored the opening goal in a 2–0 home win over Sampdoria as Juventus were crowned Serie A champions for a ninth consecutive time. On 7 August, Ronaldo scored two goals in a 2–1 home win against Lyon in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, which saw him finish the season with 37 goals in all competitions; the tally allowed him to break Borel's club record of 36 goals in a single season.

2020–2021: 100 Juve goals, Capocannoniere, and departure

Ronaldo played his 100th match in all competitions for Juventus on 13 December, scoring two penalties in a 3–1 away win over Genoa in the league to bring his goal tally to 79. On 2 March 2021, he scored a goal in a 3–0 win over Spezia in his 600th league match, to become the first player to score at least 20 goals in 12 consecutive seasons in the top five leagues of Europe. On 12 May, Ronaldo scored a goal in a 3–1 away win over Sassuolo to reach his 100th goal for Juventus in all competitions on his 131st appearance, becoming the fastest Juventus player to achieve the feat. With Juventus's victory in the 2021 Coppa Italia Final on 19 May, Ronaldo became the first player in history to win every major domestic trophy in England, Spain and Italy. Ronaldo ended the season with 29 league goals, winning the Capocannoniere award for highest goalscorer and becoming the first footballer to finish as top scorer in the English, Spanish and Italian leagues.

The start of the following season came amid reports Ronaldo would depart the club before the closure of the transfer window, despite Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes reaching a verbal agreement with Manchester City over personal terms, but the club pulled out of the deal, and later it was confirmed that City's rivals Manchester United, Ronaldo's former club, were in advanced talks to sign him, while former manager Alex Ferguson and several ex-teammates had been in contact to persuade him to re-sign for United.

Return to Manchester United

2021–2023: Champions League appearances record and 100 Premier League goals

On 27 August 2021, Manchester United announced they had reached an agreement with Juventus to re-sign Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical. Ronaldo was given the number 7 shirt after Edinson Cavani agreed to switch to 21. The first 24 hours of Ronaldo's shirt sales was reported to have broken the all-time record following a transfer, overtaking Messi after his move to Paris Saint-Germain.

On 11 September, Ronaldo made his second debut at Old Trafford, scoring the opening two goals in a 4–1 league victory against Newcastle United. On 29 September, he scored a last-minute winner in United's 2–1 victory at home to Villarreal in the Champions League, and overtook Iker Casillas as the player with the most appearances in the competition. Ronaldo proved to be crucial in the next Champions League fixtures, scoring various last-minute goals to help United qualify for the round of 16 as group winners. On 2 December, Ronaldo scored two goals in a 3–2 home league win against Arsenal, which saw him surpass 800 career goals. Struggles ensued, with a fractured relationship with his teammates and interim manager, continuing for two months, until he scored in United's 2–0 win at home versus Brighton & Hove Albion on 15 February 2022, his first in the new year. He finished the season with 24 goals in all competitions being named in the Premier League Team of the Year and the winner of United's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, but United finished in a disappointing sixth place and qualified for the UEFA Europa League; as a result, Ronaldo went trophyless for the first time since 2010.

After growing dissatisfaction with the direction of United on and off the field, Ronaldo desired to leave to join a club competing in the Champions League, but a move failed to materialise, with various European clubs refusing a transfer, due to his age, overall cost of a transfer and high wage demands. Shortly after, he fell out with manager Erik ten Hag who used him as a substitute, leading United to terminate his contract on 22 November, following an interview with Piers Morgan, where Ronaldo said that he felt "betrayed" by Ten Hag and criticised the management of the club.

Al-Nassr

2023–present: "Revolution" in Asian Football and Saudi Pro League champion

On 30 December 2022, Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr reached an agreement for Ronaldo to join the club, signing a contract until 2025. Ronaldo received the highest football salary ever, at €200 million per year, including a guaranteed football salary of €90 million, with commercial and sponsorship deals bringing his total annual salary to €200 million. He made his debut for Al-Nassr on 22 January 2023, as club captain, playing the full 90 minutes of a 1–0 win over Al-Ettifaq, and scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw against Al-Fateh by converting a last-minute penalty. On 9 February, Ronaldo scored all four goals in a 4–0 win over Al-Wehda, his first goal of the match being his 500th career league goal. According to the BBC, Ronaldo's transfer to Al-Nassr led a "revolution" in Asian football, with many players from other leagues, particularly those in Europe, transferring to Saudi Pro League clubs for the 2023–24 season.

In the final of the Arab Club Champions Cup on 12 August, Ronaldo scored both goals as they defeated rivals Al-Hilal 2–1 after extra time. Ronaldo scored six goals in the competition. At the close of the year, Ronaldo had scored 54 goals in all competitions for Al-Nassr and Portugal, making him the outright top scorer in 2023, reaching the same goalscoring record as in 2016. On 27 May 2024, in Al-Nassr's home fixture against Al-Ittihad, Ronaldo scored his 34th and 35th league goals of the campaign, surpassing Abderrazak Hamdallah's record for the most goals scored in a single Saudi Pro League season. He also became the first footballer to finish as top scorer in four different leagues: the English, Spanish, Italian and Saudi leagues. On 31 May, in a 5–4 penalty shoot-out defeat to Al-Hilal in the 2024 King Cup final following a 1–1 draw after extra time (in which he scored his side's second spot kick), he equalled Rogério Ceni's record for most top-level matches by a male professional footballer (1,225).

On 30 January 2025, he became the first player to reach 700 club-level wins, while also scoring a goal in a 2–1 away victory against Al Raed. On 28 February, Ronaldo played his 100th match in all competitions for Al-Nassr, a 2–1 away loss to Al-Orobah. On 26 May, he scored his 800th career club goal in a 3–2 away loss to Al Fateh on the final day of the season. After the match, he hinted at his departure, but ended up extending his contract with Al Nassr until 2027. Despite that, he finished the 2024–25 season with 25 league goals, becoming the league's top scorer for a second consecutive time.

International career

At the age of 18, Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal as a substitute against Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003. At UEFA Euro 2004, he scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to Greece in his

Business ventures

Ronaldo opened a fashion boutique under the name CR7 (his initials and shirt number) on the island of Madeira in 2006 and opened a second in Lisbon in 2008. In partnership with Scandinavian manufacturer JBS Textile Group and the New York fashion designer Richard Chai, Ronaldo co-designed a range of underwear and sock line, released in November 2013. He expanded his CR7 fashion brand by launching a line of premium shirts and shoes in July 2014.

In September 2015, Ronaldo released his own fragrance, "Legacy", in a partnership with Eden Parfums. Since 26 October 2023, the new owners of Medialivre (Correio da Manhã, Record and Jornal de Negócios publisher) are a group of investors that include Cristiano Ronaldo through Portuguese company Expressão Livre. In December 2011, he launched an iPhone game called Heads Up with Cristiano, created by developer RockLive, and in December 2013, he launched Viva Ronaldo, a dedicated social networking website and app.

On 26 February 2026, Ronaldo acquired a 25% ownership stake in Spanish club UD Almería as part of his investment activities through CR7 Sports Investments, a subsidiary of CR7 S.A.

Ronaldo is the co-owner of AI-powered football training and entertainment facilities named Footlab.

From Wikipedia’s article on Cristiano Ronaldo (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

  • BornFeb 5, 1985, Funchal4 5
  • CitizenshipPortugal6 7
  • ResidenceManchester8 9
  • SpouseGeorgina Rodríguez married 202610 11
  • Children612 13

Wealth and sponsorships

In April 2026, Sportico ranked Ronaldo as the third highest-paid athlete in history, behind Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, with his income estimated at $2.52 billion. He has also been included in Sportico's every annual ranking of the highest-paid athletes: he was named the third highest-paid athlete of 2021 ($120 million) and 2022 ($115 million) and the highest-paid athlete of 2023 ($275 million), 2024 ($260 million) and 2025 ($260 million). With earnings of €720 million (£615 million) from 2010 to 2019, Ronaldo was ranked second in Forbes list of the decade's highest-paid athletes, behind boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. Forbes ranked Ronaldo as the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2016 ($88 million), 2017 ($93 million) and from 2023 to 2025 ($136 million, $260 million and $275 million respectively), and he has entered every top 10 since the ranking's inception in 2012. He is the first footballer and only the third sportsman to earn $1 billion in their career.

Ronaldo is one of the world's most marketable sportsmen: SportsPro rated him the fifth most marketable athlete in 2012 and eighth most marketable athlete in 2013. Sports market research company Repucom named Ronaldo the most marketable and most recognised football player in the world in May 2014. Since his reputation grew at Manchester United, Ronaldo has signed many sponsorship deals for consumer products, including sportswear, football boots; since November 2012, Ronaldo has worn the Nike Mercurial Vapor personalised CR7 edition, soft drinks, clothing, automotive lubricants, financial services, electronics, and video games. Ronaldo featured as the cover star of FIFA video game FIFA 18 and was heavily involved in the game's promotion. His "Sii" goal celebration features in the FIFA series, accompanied with his own voiceover. He was also the face of Pro Evolution Soccer, appearing on the covers of the 2008, 2012 and 2013 editions of the game.

Family, children, and relationships

Ronaldo's father, José, died of an alcoholism-related liver condition in 2005 at age 52, when Ronaldo was 20. Ronaldo's mother, Dolores Aveiro, became a popular personality in Portugal after Ronaldo achieved fame. She has appeared in commercials for the brands Maggi, MultiOpticas and Pingo Doce.

Ronaldo has five children. His first child, a son named Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., was born in 2010 in the United States. Ronaldo Jr. is a youth footballer who has played for Portugal's under-15 team. Ronaldo has full custody of Ronaldo Jr. and has not publicly revealed the identity of his mother due to an agreement with her. Ronaldo is also a father to twins, born in 2017 in the U.S. via surrogacy.

Ronaldo was in a relationship with the English actress Gemma Atkinson for four months in 2007, then dated the Russian model Irina Shayk from 2010 to 2015. He began a relationship with Georgina Rodríguez in 2016 after meeting her while she was working as a sales assistant at a Gucci store in Madrid. Rodríguez gave birth to a daughter on 12 November 2017. The couple were expecting twins in 2022; the male twin died during childbirth while the female twin survived. Ronaldo and Rodríguez were married on 11 August 2026 in a civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal.

Read more

Health

Ronaldo has said that he does not drink alcohol; he received libel damages over a Daily Mirror article that reported him drinking heavily in a nightclub while recovering from an injury in 2008.

From Wikipedia’s article on Cristiano Ronaldo (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Philanthropy

Ronaldo has made contributions to various charitable causes throughout his career. Television footage of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami showed an eight-year-old boy survivor named Martunis wearing a Portuguese football shirt who was stranded for 19 days after his family was killed. Following this, Ronaldo visited Aceh, Indonesia, to raise funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction. After accepting undisclosed damages from a libel case against The Sun newspaper in 2008, Ronaldo donated the damages to a charity in Madeira.

In 2009, Ronaldo donated £100,000 to the hospital that saved his mother's life in Madeira following her battle with cancer, so that they could build a cancer centre on the island. In support of the victims of the 2010 Madeira flood, Ronaldo pledged to play in a charity match in Madeira between Primeira Liga club Porto and players from Madeiran-based clubs Marítimo and Nacional.

In 2012, Ronaldo and his agent paid for specialist treatment for a nine-year-old Canarian boy with apparently terminal cancer. In December 2012, Ronaldo joined FIFA's "11 for Health" programme to raise awareness among kids of how to steer clear of conditions including drug addiction, HIV, malaria, and obesity. In January 2013, Ronaldo became Save the Children's new Global Artist Ambassador, in which he hopes to help fight child hunger and obesity. In March 2013, Ronaldo agreed to be the ambassador for the Mangrove Care Forum Bali in Indonesia, an organisation aiming to raise awareness of mangrove conservation.

Ronaldo was named the world's most charitable sportsperson in 2015 after donating £5 million to the relief effort after the earthquake in Nepal which killed over 8,000 people. In June 2016, Ronaldo donated the entirety of his €600,000 Champions League bonus after Real Madrid won the competition. In August of the same year, Ronaldo launched CR7Selfie, a selfie app for charity to help Save the Children that lets participants take a selfie with him in one of several different outfits and poses.

From Wikipedia’s article on Cristiano Ronaldo (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Politics

In an interview with Piers Morgan in early November 2025, Ronaldo stated a wish to meet with U.S. president Donald Trump. "I wish one day to meet him [and] sit with him because he's one of the [people] that I really like," Ronaldo said. Without endorsing any political agenda, Ronaldo said that a potential meeting with Trump would revolve around Ronaldo's desire for world peace. On 18 November, Ronaldo and his fiancée Georgina met Trump at the White House. Later in the day, Ronaldo attended a dinner at the White House, along with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, and dozens of business leaders and billionaires.

From Wikipedia’s article on Cristiano Ronaldo (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Awards

  • 2017UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award14
  • 2016UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award14
  • 2014Best International Athlete ESPY Award14
  • 2014FIFA Ballon d'Or14
  • 2014Pichichi Trophy14
  • 2014UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award14
  • 2013FIFA Ballon d'Or14
  • 2013La Liga Player of the Month14
  • 2012UEFA Team of the Year14
  • 2011European Golden Shoe14
More awards (40)
  • 2011Pichichi Trophy14
  • 2011Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano14
  • 2011UEFA Team of the Year14
  • 2010Prémio Arco-íris14
  • 2010UEFA Team of the Year14
  • 2009FIFA Puskás Award14
  • 2009UEFA Team of the Year14
  • 2008Ballon d'Or14
  • 2008European Golden Shoe14
  • 2008FIFA World Player of the Year14
  • 2008Onze d'Or14
  • 2008PFA Team of the Year14
  • 2008Premier League Player of the Month14
  • 2008Premier League Player of the Month14
  • 2008UEFA Team of the Year14
  • 2007FWA Footballer of the Year14
  • 2007Footballer of the Year in England14
  • 2007PFA Players' Player of the Year14
  • 2007PFA Team of the Year14
  • 2007Premier League Golden Boot14
  • 2007Premier League Player of the Season14
  • 2007Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year14
  • 2007UEFA Club Footballer of the Year14
  • 2007UEFA Team of the Year14
  • 2006FWA Footballer of the Year14
  • 2006Footballer of the Year in England14
  • 2006PFA Players' Player of the Year14
  • 2006PFA Team of the Year14
  • 2006PFA Young Player of the Year14
  • 2006Premier League Player of the Month14
  • 2006Premier League Player of the Month14
  • 2006Premier League Player of the Season14
  • 2006Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year14
  • 2005PFA Team of the Year14
  • 2004Bravo Award14
  • 2004UEFA Team of the Year14
  • Date not recordedCommander of the Order of Merit of Portugal14 15
  • Date not recordedGrand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry14 15
  • Date not recordedMedal of Merit of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa14
  • Date not recordedOfficer of the Order of Prince Henry14 15

Planes and yachts

A position is the aircraft’s or vessel’s, not the person’s. Being on board isn’t confirmed.

Flight data: adsb.lol (ODbL) & ADSB.fi. Flights, photos and icons: CelebPlanes. Maps: Esri.

Flight and yacht reports

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24