Cristiano Ronaldo has been in the news this week over his recent transfer to Manchester United (Man United) football club.
Ronaldo is one of the main players in the football industry, he has won a lot of awards.
Here are 7 things to know about Ronaldo
Personal Details
Ronaldo’s full name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro. He was born and raised in Madeira, Portugal, on February 5, 1985.
Ronald Regan
Ronaldo was named after Ronald Regan, a previous U.S President who was enormously cherished by Ronaldo’s dad.
Early Career
In 1997, aged 12, he went on a three-day trial with Sporting CP, who signed him for a fee of £1,500. He subsequently moved from Madeira to Alcochete, near Lisbon, to join Sporting’s youth academy. By age 14, Ronaldo believed he had the ability to play semi-professionally and agreed with his mother to cease his education in order to focus entirely on football.
Ronaldo began his senior club career playing for Sporting CP, before signing with Manchester United in 2003, aged 18, winning the FA Cup in his first season. He would also go onto win three consecutive Premier League titles, the Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup; at age 23, he won his first Ballon d’Or. Ronaldo was the subject of the then-most expensive association football transfer when he signed for Real Madrid in 2009 in a transfer worth €94 million (£80 million), where he won 15 trophies, including two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey, four Champions Leagues, and became the club’s all-time top goalscorer.
READ ALSO: 7 Things To Know About Ronaldo’s Return To Man U
Football Clubs
Ronaldo became Manchester United’s first Portuguese player when he signed before the 2003–04 season. His transfer fee of £12.24 million made him, at the time, the most expensive teenager in English football history. Although he requested the number 28, his number at Sporting, he received the squad number 7 shirt.
Ahead of the 2009–10 season, Ronaldo joined Real Madrid for a world-record transfer fee at the time, of £80 million (€94 million). His contract, which ran until 2015, was worth €11 million per year and contained a €1 billion buy-out clause.
On 10 July 2018, Ronaldo signed a four-year contract with Italian club Juventus after completing a €100 million transfer, which included an additional €12 million in other fees and solidarity contributions to Ronaldo’s youth clubs. The transfer was the highest ever for a player over 30 years old, and the highest-paid by an Italian club.
BizWatch Nigeria recalls that on 27 August 2021, Manchester United announced they have reached a deal to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus, 12 years after he left Old Trafford for Real Madrid.
Awards, Trophies, Achievements
Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards and four European Golden Shoes, the most by a European player. He has won 32 major trophies in his career, including seven league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, one UEFA European Championship, and one UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo holds the records for most goals (134) and assists (42) in the Champions League, most goals in the European Championship (14), and is tied with Ali Daei for most international goals (109). He is one of the few recorded players to have made over 1,100 professional career appearances and has scored over 780 official senior career goals for club and country.
Transfer Window
Ronaldo during the transfer window signed a deal with Manchester United for 2 years.
Blood donation
Cristiano Ronaldo is an active blood donor. Ronaldo has no tatto and has not expressed any need to get any.
“We can all make a difference by donating blood. Each donation can benefit up to three people in emergency situations and for long-term medical treatments.” he said in 2015 via Eurosport. “That’s why I am enthusiastic, to the importance of blood donation and to encourage people around the world to become lifelong blood donors and help save lives.”
