Story of Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo: the football legend

The account of a legendary footballer begins in the São Pedro parish of Funchal, the capital city of Madeira Island in Portugal. On February 5, 1985, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Araujo was born in Portugal, where he spent his early days in the Santo António neighbourhood. Ronaldo’s second name also has a fascinating reason – his father was a great fan of the then US president Ronald Reagan, so he preferred calling him “Ronaldo”.

Struggles of a working-class family

The Ronaldo family lived a deeply religious Catholic life and struggled financially. Among his siblings, he had an older brother, Huguo, and two sisters, Elma and Liliana Cátia, making Cristiano the youngest. His mother, Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro, was a cook and maid who worked tirelessly. On the other hand, his father, José Dinis Aveiro, was a municipal gardener and worked part-time as a kit man at the local Andorinha Football Club, which paid only a little.

The family where residing in a small subdivided, tin-sided house, with seats which were highly subsidized. Despite the challenges, the house offered awe inspiring panoramic images of the ocean. Due to space constraints, Cristiano shared a room with all of his siblings. Moreover, he fostered bonds with his siblings which fuelled his drive for success throughout his life.

Cristiano Ronaldo early signs of football talent

Cristiano started playing for CF Andorinha at just seven years old, where his father worked as the kit manager. His exceptional skills showed up early.

His teammates called him “crybaby” because he often cried. “All he wanted to do as a boy was play football,” his godfather Fernao Sousa recalled.

Cristiano Ronaldo struggles with poverty

Life wasn’t easy for the Ronaldo family in Madeira. Money was always tight, and Cristiano told Piers Morgan that he used to beg for food outside a McDonald’s restaurant near where his father worked.

His father’s battle with alcoholism added more stress to the family – he was “drunk almost near every day”. His mother thought about aborting him because of their poverty, his father’s condition, and having too many children, but her doctor wouldn’t do it.

Cristiano Ronaldo: The Making of a Prodigy

His father worked as the kit man for this amateur club and gave young Ronaldo his first chance to show his extraordinary abilities. Everyone noticed his natural talent right away. His fierce competitive spirit earned him the nickname “crybaby” because tears would flow whenever his team lost.

First steps at CF Andorinha

Ronaldo stood out from his peers during his three years at Andorinha (1992-1995). His former teammate Ricardo Santos remembers, “We were eight, nine years old, and at that time, Cristiano Ronaldo was already a great player”. His dedication to improvement showed early – he played constantly at the club and at home. Opponents found it almost impossible to take the ball from him.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Moving to Sporting CP at age 12

CD Nacional became Ronaldo’s home for two crucial years (1995-1997) where his reputation grew stronger. Nacional’s former youth coach Pedro Talinhas explains, “Here in Madeira his talent was known. He was a player who was very good technically, he was very good with both feet”.

A major change came at age 12 when Ronaldo traveled over 600 miles from home to try out with Sporting CP for three days. The club signed him for a modest £1,500. Life wasn’t easy at first – students at school mocked his Madeiran accent, which differed from Lisbon’s dialect. Homesickness hit him hard, and Sporting sent him back to Madeira temporarily. After returning, he adapted well and progressed through the club’s prestigious academy.

Professional debut and catching Ferguson’s eye

Success came quickly – he scored his first two professional goals in a 3-0 win over Moreirense on October 7.

His career changed forever during a pre-season friendly in August 2003. Ronaldo’s stunning performance against Manchester United at Sporting’s new Alvalade stadium left Sir Alex Ferguson’s players amazed. John O’Shea, who had to mark him that day, ended up with “a migraine”. Ferguson told United’s Chief Executive: “We’re not leaving the ground until we’ve got that boy signed”. The 18-year-old sensation joined Manchester United for £12.24 million just days later.

Rise to Global Stardom: The Manchester United Years

Sir Alex Ferguson witnessed Ronaldo transform from an exhilarating potential talent to the best player in the world over the 6 years he spent at Man United. The Portuguese winger signed with United in 2003 for £12.24 million sterling, which made him Britain’s most expensive teenage footballer.

Mentored by Sir Alex Ferguson

As a player under Ronaldo, Ferguson’s relationship went beyond the level of a typical manager and player. If you want to go three days, four days, five days, you can go,” carried weight in Bruno’s life. Essentially, Ronaldo’s father was critically ill due to his alcoholism. This incident surely impacted young Cristiano’s life.

Focusing on his unique style of play

Ronaldo joined United as a very skillful winger with a lot of flashy dribbling skills but little output to go with it. His early interactions with his teammates left much to be desired. Gary Neville thought while watching Ronaldos’ performance, “which is why doesn’t he just bollock it!?!” after noticing that Ronaldo kept trying to score with multiple touches rather than shoot.

Ferguson’s strategic move to play Cristiano as a wide forward, rather than a winger, was brilliant in every sense of the term. This strategy alone, alongside Ronaldo’s enhanced physical conditioning, made him a dominating offensive threat. In the 2006-07 season he reduced his showboating and focused on scoring which earned him multiple Player of the Year titles.

World Conquest: From Real Madrid’s Acquisition to Today’s Affairs

Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-breaking transfer of £80 million (€94 million) to Real Madrid in July 2009 marks a monumental moment in football history. During his arrival, the Santiago Bernabéu was at capacity, over 80,000 fans (more than Maradona’s welcome at Napoli 25 years earlier) were in attendance. “This is the completion of my boyhood dream, to be a Real Madrid player,” Ronaldo remarked.

Ronaldo’s First Season

The Spanish league suited Ronaldo’s style best as he scored 33 goals in 35 games in his inaugural season. Over the years, he broke his own scoring records and achieved a staggering 450 goals in 438 competitive matches. On September 12th, 2015, he unlocked a new achievement with a monumental milestone – the all-time leading goal scorer for Real Madrid, surpassing Raúl’s record which lasted for 8 years. This feat changed the record books of Real Madrid forever.

Ronaldo amassed an impressive array of trophies while playing for Real Madrid – two Copa del Rey titles, three Club World Cups, four Champions League titles, two La Liga championships, three UEFA Super Cups and two Spanish Super Cups. In addition to these trophies, he received numerous personal awards which included four Ballon d’Or awards, three Golden Shoes and two The Best FIFA Men’s Player accolades.

The Messi rivalry years

The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry served as an axis on which football revolved during the latter half of Ronaldo’s career in Spain. He and Messi did not only represent the two titans of the Spanish league but their respective countries during their international tournaments. “I think we noted that we did the right thing. We have modified the parts of history of football,” said Ronaldo.

Rivalry aside, the players have achieved great heights together, Messi and Ronaldo scoring feats surmounted over 2009-2010, with Messi scoring (329) and Ronaldo (311) during the season in question and dominating the lists of goals registered in Europe.

Later career moves to Juventus and Al Nassr

Ronaldo’s illustrious career picked up steam after he made the record fee of €100 million move to Juventus in 2018, signifying the end of his illustrious nine season Madrid career, where he claimed he has scored over 134 goals in 134 appearances. During the Italy phase, he became the first footballer to win league titles in England, Spain and Italy branded him as the best player in the world.

Subsequent professional shifts to Juventus and Al Nassr

Ronaldo rounded off his illustrious nine-year stint at Madrid with a Turin bound €100 million transfer to Juventus in 2018 — a record fee for a player over 30. He became the first player to win league titles in England, Spain and Italy while amassing 101 goals in 134 appearances for the Turin based club.

On December 30th, 2022, Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr captured Ronaldo’s signature with a shocking €200 million annual salary. His arrival shifted the axis of Asian football forever, bringing in an influx of European stars into the Saudi Pro League. The 38 year old icon continues to set new records, the latest being the only player in history to have 850 career goals.

Closing Remarks

Ronaldo’s astounding rise serves as an inspiration of what is possible through unwavering commitment. Reaching the milestone of being the most prolific goal-scorer in football history, he started from a humble tin-roofed house in Madeira. The 900-goal barrier appeared unbreakable until he achieved it.

Circumstances do not confine him. Over his life, he has showcased remarkable self-discipline to counter childhood poverty, family issues, and professional hurdles in his early career. Manchester United transformed him into an elite player, while Real Madrid witnessed him turn into a goal-scoring beast. His transitions to Juventus and Al Nassr proved that he could dominate in any league. Most athletes peak and fade away, but Ronaldo continues to defy odds.