Portuguese soccer sensation Cristiano Ronaldo is something of a conundrum. On the one hand, he is currently one of the two best soccer players in the entire world, with Lionel Messi being the other. He also lives and behaves like a diva. He parties a lot, he has expensive cars, a private jet, a long list of models and actresses as partners, and a huge house, and yet, as a father of four kids, he seems like the sweetest family guy ever.
Ronaldo has won the famed FIFA Ballon d'Or Soccer Award a record five times, the most recent one coming after he took his former team Real Madrid to Champions League glory against Liverpool.
He plays for Juventus, and previously played for Real Madrid. His nemesis Messi plays for F.C Barcelona, so each game between their teams, code-named a ‘Super Classico’ game, became a media and gambling hit. Ronaldo won the FIFA World Player of the Year award several times, and besides being a gifted soccer player, he has also received the gift of attractiveness.
Looking like he does, it’s a wonder he can still play as good as he does. Ronaldo keeps showing up in the news but not because of his soccer playing ability.
Here are some of the stages of Ronaldo's life that made him what he is today:
Cristiano Ronaldo is named after an American president
Born in Portugal’s Funchal, Madeira on February 5, 1985, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos is the youngest of four kids. His father, Jose Dinis Aveiro, named him after the American President Ronald Reagan. His mother is Maria Dolores dos Santos. His father was a municipal gardener and his mother was a cook.
Cristiano has two older sisters and one older brother. His father drank a lot thus Cristiano’s early life was molded by financial hardship and his father’s alcoholism. Eventually, his father died in 2005 due to kidney problems.
Ronaldo in Ibiza I
Ronaldo is photographed with different women all the time. This time Ronaldo hooked up with Elisa de Panicis (29) who was a star of an Italian reality show. She didn’t keep quiet about her short-term affair with Ronaldo, and during an interview about her new TV show, she claimed that Ronaldo uses padding “down under” (if you know what we mean) while filming advertising campaigns.
About their getting together, she said, "He saw me on the Spanish version of the show "I'm a Celebrity", in which I participated. Our romance can be called flowering. It's love." While being with her he played poorly for his team Real Madrid, so now fans had who to blame.
How did Ronaldo get into soccer?
It has been said, Cristiano didn’t get into soccer, soccer was already in Cristiano Ronaldo. Thanks to his father’s connection, Cristiano was introduced to soccer when his father worked at a boy’s club. Since then, he was known as the child who slept, ate, and drank soccer. According to his godfather, all Cristiano wanted to do was play football. He didn’t mind missing meals, sleep or school. That is how much he loved football.
Ronaldo was already a footballer at 8 years old
Cristiano’s hometown was the first to witness his football skills. At 8 years old, Andorinha was his amateur hometown club. When Cristiano was 10 years old, he moved to one of the popular teams in Madeira, CD Nacional. His skills were already evident that he did not stay in Maderia too long as he later joined one of Portugal’s biggest clubs, Sporting Lisbon.
His life turned around in 1996 when he had to live on his own to train. His first-team debut came in a win against Moreirense in the Portuguese First Division in 2002. Eventually, everyone had to take notice as Ronaldo scored a brace. His European debut occurred in the match against Inter Milan at the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo was a promising teen footballer
At 17 years old, Ronaldo had attracted the world’s attention. His thrilling performances when he played for the UEFA’s Under 17 Championship for the Youth Team of Portugal made him a promising player. Top clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool had begun scouting the tournament for new footballers. Arsene Wenger and Gerard Houllier were seen to be interested in Ronaldo but were hesitant due to his age. In 2001, he mesmerized the audience when his team fought against Manchester United. Everyone was wowed by his skill and excellent footwork.
Ronaldo in Ibiza II
Cristina Buccino is an Italian model who is sought after by many. But many are not Cristiano Ronaldo, now are they? This Italian model was seen with Ronaldo at a dinner during his vacation in Ibiza (again) in July of 2016. Cristina explained that "Ibiza is not that big. There is only a hand full of places to hang out. I was partying at the same place Ronaldo was and we saw each other. He came over and invited me to dinner, he is a real gentleman and a great guy."
During 2016 Ronaldo was seen with several models, so there might be a fight going on.
Manchester United was impressed with the young Ronaldo
It was during a pre-season friendly match in 2003 between Manchester United and Sporting that Ronaldo impressed and later convinced a top club to sign him. When the Portuguese won against the Red Devils with the scores 3-1, players in United were amazed at Ronaldo’s technique and talent. According to rumors, it was Sir Alex Ferguson who eventually signed Christian Ronaldo.
The transfer fee was a whopping 15 million euros or 12.24 million pounds – a record for his age. Manchester players were awed by Ronaldo’s talent they kept talking about him on their way home.
Ronaldo’s success with Manchester United
Ronaldo debuted in Manchester as a substitute when the team played against Bolton Wanderers. The game was only thirty minutes but this half-hour would go down in history as the most memorable, especially for fans of Manchester United. Ronaldo stunned the stadium with his remarkable runs and dashing dribbles. Even the traditional harshness of English media was won over by Ronaldo’s talent. His first-ever goal was a curled free-kick where the team won against Portsmouth 3-0.
Ronaldo still can’t please everyone
During Cristiano Ronaldo’s stint in Manchester United, the first two seasons saw him receive mixed reviews. Despite his promising start, there are still those who are not totally pleased with him as a relatively new footballer. Though Ronaldo was praised for his skills and masterful technique, he was often criticized for his lack of consistency during play. He also made poor decisions while on the field – a natural error on Ronaldo’s part considering he was merely 17 years of age.
Going British
Ronaldo has great taste not only in Italian models but also in British ones. In January 2007 Ronaldo hooked up with Gemma Atkinson, a British supermodel. The relationship was short and casual, like always. Even Ronaldo said that it wasn’t serious. But Gemma wasn’t sharing his view, as she was raving about their relationship all over the media. But Ronaldo’s mom put a stop to the whole thing and said that she was just spreading fake news.
Ronaldo fulfilled expectations
The soccer world was not disappointed with Ronaldo’s performance. He fulfilled his promise when he scored the first of three goals in the 2004 FA Cup final. Ronaldo essentially helped the team capture the coveted championship. He eventually signed a five-year contract for £31 million. A year after signing, he was responsible for one of the finest seasons of the club’s history when he set a club record for 42 goals scored. He also earned the FIFA World of the Year award. Essentially, it was Ronaldo who helped Manchester United acquire three premier league titles.
The death of Ronaldo’s father
Ronaldo had a hard time in England. It was in 2005 when his father, Jose Dinis Aveiro, died due to liver disease caused by alcoholism. Cristiano Ronaldo was only 20 years old at that time. Ronaldo considered this moment as one of the most difficult in his life. It was believed that Ronaldo never drank any alcohol due to his experience with his father’s death.
It was also Ronaldo who continually encouraged his father to go to rehab to solve his drinking but his father never did. Ronaldo was also in England in 2007 when his mother struggled with breast cancer.
The bet with Sir Alex Ferguson
A bet was reportedly made between Ronaldo and Sir Alex Ferguson wherein the former was required to score a minimum of 15 goals during the 2006 season. It was Ronaldo who eventually won the bet as he scored 17 goals. The next season saw Ronaldo increase the bet when he promised he would shave his hair if he failed to score 20 goals. Eventually, he had to cancel the bet as Ferguson similarly upped the ante when he demanded Ronaldo score 35 goals.
Ronaldo Feeling Single Again
During his “I’m not attached” life which happened after his Irina Shayk episode, but before Georgina, Ronaldo had a thing with Merche Romero for over a year. So actually it could be considered more than a thing, couldn’t it?
Anyway, it may not come as a surprise to you, but Merche is also a model, but this time from Portugal, Ronaldo’s home country. As opposed to other women he dated, Merche is also a TV presenter and had acted in several local films.
Ronaldo was one of the most important players for Man United
His six-year stay with Manchester United earned him the honor of being one of its most important footballers. Ronaldo’s presence made the club one of the most successful in Europe. During Ronaldo’s stint with United, it garnered three league titles plus the 2008 UEFA Champions League. Ronaldo managed to score as much as 84 goals in the club’s 196 league games. He was also labeled as one of the world’s best players.
The 2006 World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo was an important part of the Portuguese National Team during the 2006 World Cup. As they neared the tournament’s semi-final, Ronaldo was able to score a goal. He was later named the national team’s captain. However, during the European Championships in 2008, Ronaldo was able to score only a single goal. During the quarterfinals, the team crashed out. Fortunately, the previous year – 2007 - was better for Ronaldo as he won a slew of awards.
Ronaldo was 2007’s Footballer of the Year
Ronaldo received the PFA Player Award as well as the Young Player Award in 2007. He also received the Footballer of the Year award from the Football Writers Association. Also, for the first time in the same year, Ronaldo was among the top 3 finalists for the FIFA World Player of the Year award as well as the European Player of the Year award. During the 2007 to 2008 season, he maintained his form as he scored a total of 42 goals in all competitions including the English Premier League.
Are They Still Friends?
Probably the most famous partner Ronaldo had was Russian model Irina Shayk. She was probably his longest relationship as well. They started dating back in 2010. Like any celebrity couple, they had their ups and downs along the way, but they lasted for 5 years! That’s a record.
During their time together, people were ‘talking’. Rumor had it that he would propose but… it never happened. Breakup rumors say that his mother (again) had something to do with their breakup. Anyway, Irina kept quiet about the relationship and about the breakup as well. She looks amazing, and intelligent as well. He could have missed, but hey… you can’t know until you try. In the picture, you can see them both in a photoshoot for a Spanish magazine AFTER they broke up.
The world’s most expensive player
Ronaldo became the most expensive player in the entire world when, in 2009, Spanish Real Madrid gave Manchester United the amount of £80 million to bring Ronaldo to Madrid. During the first season, Ronaldo scored a total of 33 goals. The following season saw Ronaldo end with a total of 40 goals. This was a record for the most goals scored in a Spanish league season. Thanks to Ronaldo’s humongous talent, Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey.
Ronaldo leads Team Portugal
It was Ronaldo who captained the Portuguese National Team during the FIFA World Cup in 2010 when it was held in South Africa. Unfortunately, he was able to score only a single goal as the National Team was defeated by Spain during the round of 16. Still, Ronaldo maintained his status as an inspiration for the Portuguese as he was able to score three goals.
This was sufficient enough for the team to be led, once again by Ronaldo, towards the European Championships’ semi-final two years later. Unfortunately, Portugal once again lost to Spain during a penalty shoot-out.
Ronaldo and Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo assisted Real Madrid to acquire the Spanish league title in 2012. This was Ronaldo’s first-ever league title with Real Madrid. His total score was 60 goals in all the competitions during the season. Eventually, Real Madrid galloped to acquire the title with a hundred points. Ronaldo later followed up his haul with 55 goals in the following season’s competitions.
According to Ronaldo, he expected that the club would demand much from him yet he accepts this as a new challenge. He also used this challenge to help him be the “best footballer”.
The One Who Tamed Him
Being his current girlfriend and mother of his newborns, Georgina Rodriguez, 22, has much to be thankful for. She is a Spanish model and probably the reason Cristiano has stopped playing around with other women. Followers even say that his game improved since he “settled down” with Georgina.
Before becoming a model she worked as a shop assistant at Gucci in Madrid, but now, of course, she’s working on her modeling career and motherhood. Georgina and Ronaldo met in the VIP area of a Dolce & Gabbana event where their relationship began.
Ronaldo is the highest scorer ever
The 2013 seasons began with Ronaldo scoring an amazing 51 goals. He also made it possible for Real Madrid to win the much-coveted title - their 10th UEFA Champions League thanks to his 17 goals. This feat made him the highest scorer in a single season of the tournament. His overall goals in the tournament then totaled 89. He also won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2013 as well as in the following year.
Ronaldo and the 2014 FIFA World Cup
Ronaldo helped secure the qualification of Portugal into the 2014 FIFA World Cup when it was held in Brazil thanks to Ronaldo’s outstanding performance vs Sweden who were led by Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2013. However, he entered the World Cup with a left knee injury despite claiming that he was 100% fit to play.
Ronaldo did his best to not use his knee injury as an excuse to fail. Unfortunately, his performance was not his best. During the tournament, he was an invisible pain. He spent the summer recovering from his knee injury.
Ronaldo returned to his best form
The 2014-2015 season saw Ronaldo return in his best form. Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup as well as the FIFA Club World Cup. Ronaldo also won his third FIFA Ballon d’Or where he beat Messi and Manuel Neuer. Similarly, Madrid achieved a 22-game winning streak in all 2014-2015 season’s competitions. Unfortunately, the lucky streak ended with a 2-1 loss against Valencia. But Ronaldo still managed to score a total of 48 league goals. Real Madrid was in second place, a mere two points behind Barcelona.
Bonjour, Paris?
When Ronaldo joined his current team, Real Madrid, his star started rising faster and higher than other soccer stars, except Leo Messi of course. But during that year, 2009, he was also spotted hanging out with non-other than Paris ‘I have a pink Rolls Royce’ Hilton.
I guess his stardom rose so high it crossed the pond straight into Hilton’s arms. She was after a break up with Doug Reinhardt so they were both up for the relationship. It was very short and none of them talked about it. All we can say is: Ahhh, Pari…
Euro 2016
Ronaldo focused on the Euro 2016 tournament when it was held in France. Portugal was the crowd favorite among the group it was placed with, namely Austria, Iceland, and Hungary. Everyone was hoping for Ronaldo to win for his country their first major silverware. Unfortunately, Portugal was held to a draw by Iceland, 1-1. Due to Portugal’s performance, they placed third and qualified for the Round of 16 against Croatia.
During the quarter-finals, Portugal faced and beat Poland. Ronaldo eventually scored the first goal when Portugal battled and won against Wales, 2-0.
Ronaldo is not afraid to shed tears
Cristiano Ronaldo served as a true leader and a diligent captain by encouraging his teammates while on the sidelines during the Euro 2016. Ronaldo was forced to rest when he suffered a knee injury upon clashing with Dimitri Payet. Thanks to Ronaldo’s encouragement, Portugal won. Eder’s potent strike smashed the winner within four minutes in extra time’s second period. Ronaldo’s tears of sadness became tears of joy and glory. Portugal’s win allowed them to lift their very first ever major European trophy.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s awards
Ronaldo was declared as FIFA’s Best Player of 2016 for the fourth time. He beat out Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona. Ronaldo’s other awards included the Champions League, European Championship, UEFA individual awards, and Club World Cup. Ronaldo also declared 2016 as “the best” of his career.
The UEFA award recognizes the best player regardless of the player’s nationality. The award is based on the decision of 53 sports journalists. Ronaldo is the first to win the UEFA two times in a row and is also the first to win it three times.
Daddy Ronaldo III
Cristiano Ronaldo became a proud father when his son Cristiano Jr was born back in 2010. The identity of his son’s mother has not been revealed. Born June 17, 2010, Cristiano Jr will learn the identity of his mother when he grows up. But Ronaldo declares that he will never reveal the mother’s identity in public. His son’s nickname is Cristianinho or “little Christiano”. On June 2017, Ronaldo also became a new father of twins through a surrogate mother in the US.
He became a father once again in November 2017 when his current girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez, gave birth to Alana Martina.
Ronaldo Photoshopped in ISIS pictures
Ronaldo’s success and fame lead to some unfortunate disadvantages. For one, he is among the superstars in soccer which have his pictures included in Photoshopped images distributed by ISIS supporters. One specific image is quite disturbing. The picture shows Ronaldo on his knees as he is kneeling in front of a masked man holding a knife. Other soccer stars whose Photoshopped images are also circulating in social media include Messi and his Barcelona teammate Neymar.
Ronaldo’s charity works
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named as the world’s most charitable athlete. He topped Dosomething.org’s list of Athletes Gone Good thanks to his numerous donations to a slew of charitable causes. He has given £53,000 for the medical operation of a ten-month-old baby. He also paid for the medical expenses of a nine-year-old cancer patient. He similarly donated £105,000 to a hospital’s research center – the same hospital which treated his mother’s cancer. Ronaldo claims that his father taught him the value of helping people, “My father always taught me..when you help people. God will give you double.”
Cristiano as a fashion icon
Besides football, Cristiano Ronaldo also delves into fashion. His fashion boutique labeled “CR7”, which stands for his shirt number and initials, opened in Portugal’s Madeira island in 2006. His second clothes boutique was established in Lisbon in 2008. Ronaldo also co-designed a line of underwear and socks in 2013. He added a line of shoes and premium shirts in 2014.
He also released his own fragrance in 2015 in partnership with Eden Parfums. He is also a much sought-after spokesperson for exercise promoters, clothing designers, and fashion magazines.
One of the best of his generation
Cristiano Ronaldo stands along Lionel Messi as one of the best footballers in the world. Ronaldo’s prolific goal-scoring skill, decisiveness, and stand-out work ethic all show his dedication to his craft. His dedication to continuously improve allows him to stand amongst legendary football players Diego Maradona and Pele. His former manager, Alex Ferguson, describes Ronaldo as a “fantastic player” that grew with the game. He adds that Ronaldo’s experience and maturity make him a complete and mature footballer.
Hiding in plain sight
Years before Kanye West became her husband and father of her children, Kim Kardashian was rumored to be hanging out with the Portuguese soccer king. It was sometime in 2010, while Kim was vacationing in Madrid, Spain, and as you know, Ronaldo is the biggest star in Madrid, so pictures were taken and facts were collected.
They both succeeded in hiding any connection between them. But they were photographed dancing at the same party a few feet apart, and taking group pictures with friends all over Madrid, so let the facts and rumors speak for themselves.
Ronaldo is social media’s favorite sportsperson
Cristiano Ronaldo is as popular online as he is offline. He has a total of 158 million followers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. He also released two mobile applications. He also has an iPhone game titled “Heads Up With Cristiano”. He also has a dedicated mobile app and social networking website launched in December 2013 called Viva Ronaldo. His name also tops the list of McAfee’s 2012 report that ranked footballers by how probable an online search of their name leads to an unsafe site.
Rape allegations
