Portuguese footballer (born 1985)
dos Santos and the second or paternal family name is Aveiro. In this Portuguese name , the 🌛 first or maternal family name isand the second or paternal family name is
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (Portuguese pronunciation: [kɾiʃˈtjɐnu 🌛 ʁɔˈnaldu]; born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Saudi 🌛 Pro League club Al Nassr and the Portugal national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time, 🌛 Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or awards,[note 3] a record three UEFA Men's Player of the Year Awards, and four 🌛 European Golden Shoes, the most by a European player. He has won 34 trophies in his career, including seven league 🌛 titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo holds the records for most 🌛 appearances (183), goals (140) and assists (42) in the Champions League, goals in the European Championship (14), international goals (128) 🌛 and international appearances (205). He is one of the few players to have made over 1,200 professional career appearances, the 🌛 most by an outfield player, and has scored over 850 official senior career goals for club and country, making him 🌛 the top goalscorer of all time.
Ronaldo began his senior career with Sporting CP, before signing with Manchester United in 2003, 🌛 winning the FA Cup in his first season. He would also go on to 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). He became a key contributor and formed an attacking trio with Karim Benzema and Gareth 🌛 Bale which was integral to the team winning four Champions Leagues from 2014 to 2024, including La Décima. During this 🌛 period, he won back-to-back Ballons d'Or in 2013 and 2014, and again in 2024 and 2024, and was runner-up three 🌛 times behind Lionel Messi, his perceived career rival. He also became the club's all-time top goalscorer and the all-time top 🌛 scorer in the Champions League, and finished as the competition's top scorer for six consecutive seasons between 2012 and 2024. 🌛 With Real, Ronaldo won four Champions Leagues, two La Liga titles, two Copas del Rey, two UEFA Super Cups and 🌛 three Club World Cups. In 2024, he signed for Juventus in a transfer worth an initial €100 million (£88 million), 🌛 the most expensive transfer for an Italian club and for a player over 30 years old. He won two Serie 🌛 A titles, two Supercoppa Italiana trophies and a Coppa Italia, became the inaugural Serie A Most Valuable Player and became 🌛 the first footballer to finish as top scorer in the English, Spanish and Italian leagues. He returned to Manchester United 🌛 in 2024, finishing his only full season as the club's top scorer, before his contract was terminated in 2024. In 🌛 2024, he signed for Al Nassr.
Ronaldo made his international debut for Portugal in 2003 at the age of 18 and 🌛 has since earned more than 200 caps, making him both the country and history's most-capped player of all time, recognised 🌛 by the Guinness World Records.[9] With more than 100 goals at international level, he is also the sports all-time top 🌛 goalscorer. Ronaldo has played in and scored at eleven major tournaments; he scored his first international goal at Euro 2004, 🌛 where he helped Portugal reach the final. He assumed captaincy of the national team in July 2008. In 2024, Ronaldo 🌛 was named the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation. The following year, he led Portugal 🌛 to their first major tournament title at Euro 2024, and received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer of the 🌛 tournament. This achievement would see him receive his fourth Ballon d'Or. He also led them to victory in the inaugural 🌛 UEFA Nations League in 2024, receiving the top scorer award in the finals, and later received the Golden Boot as 🌛 top scorer of Euro 2024.
One of the world's most marketable and famous athletes, Ronaldo was ranked the world's highest-paid athlete 🌛 by Forbes in 2024, 2024, and 2024, and the world's most famous athlete by ESPN from 2024 to 2024. Time 🌛 included him on their list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014. He is the first 🌛 footballer and the third sportsman to earn US$1 billion in his career.
Early life
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, and grew 🌛 up in the nearby parish of Santo António.[10][11] He is the fourth and youngest child of Maria Dolores dos Santos 🌛 Viveiros da Aveiro, who worked as a cook in the hospitality industry and a cleaning woman,[12][13] and José Dinis Aveiro, 🌛 a municipal gardener at the Junta de Freguesia of Santo António and part-time kit man for football club Andorinha.[14][15][16] His 🌛 great-grandmother on his father's side, Isabel da Piedade, was from the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde.[17] He has one 🌛 older brother, Hugo, and two older sisters, Elma and Liliana Cátia "Katia".[18] He was named after actor and U.S. President 🌛 Ronald Reagan, whom his father was a fan of.[19] His mother revealed that she 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,[20][21] as abortions 🌛 were illegal in Portugal at that time.[22] Ronaldo grew up in an impoverished Roman Catholic home, sharing a room with 🌛 all his siblings.[23]
As a child, Ronaldo played for Andorinha from 1992 to 1995,[24] where his father was the kit man,[14] 🌛 and later spent two years with Nacional. In 1997, aged 12, he went on a three-day trial with Sporting CP, 🌛 who signed him for a fee of £1,500.[25] He subsequently moved from Madeira to Lisbon to join Sporting CP's youth 🌛 system.[25] By age 14, while struggling with his school duties and responsibilities in Escola EB2 de Telheiras, his school in 🌛 the Telheiras area of Lisbon, Ronaldo believed he had the ability to play semi-professionally and agreed with his mother and 🌛 his tutor at Sporting CP, Leonel Pontes,[26] to cease his education to focus entirely on football.[27][28] With a troubled life 🌛 as a student[29] and living in Lisbon area away from his Madeiran family, he did not complete schooling beyond the 🌛 6th grade.[30][31] While popular with other students at school, he had been expelled after throwing a chair at his teacher, 🌛 who he said had "disrespected" him.[27] One year later, he was diagnosed with tachycardia, a condition that could have forced 🌛 him to give up playing football.[32] Ronaldo underwent heart surgery where a laser was used to cauterise multiple cardiac pathways 🌛 into one, altering his resting heart rate.[33] He was discharged from the hospital hours after the procedure and resumed training 🌛 a few days later.[34] In 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo's mother, Dolores Aveiro, stated in an interview for Sporting CP's official television 🌛 channel (Sporting TV) that her son would be a bricklayer if he hadn't become a professional football player.[35]
Club career
Sporting CP
Ronaldo 🌛 memorabilia at Sporting CP's museum
At age 16, Ronaldo was promoted from Sporting's youth team by first-team manager László Bölöni, who 🌛 was impressed with his dribbling.[36] He subsequently became the first player to play for the club's under-16, under-17 and under-18 🌛 teams, the B team and the first team, all within a single season.[25]
On 14 August 2002,[37] Cristiano Ronaldo, then 17, 🌛 played his first official match for a Sporting CP's senior team, in a UEFA Champions League qualifying round at José 🌛 Alvalade Stadium against Inter Milan. He came on in the 58th[37] minute in place of Toñito.[38][39]
As far as the Portuguese 🌛 football league system's competitions is concerned, Sporting CP B was the 1st team in his senior career playing domestically, where 🌛 he debuted in a 2–1 away loss against Sport Clube Lusitânia on 1 September 2002, in a game for the 🌛 Segunda Divisão B championship played in the Azores.[40] On 29 September 2002, Ronaldo made his debut in the Primeira Liga, 🌛 playing for Sporting CP's main team against Braga, and on 7 October, he scored two goals against Moreirense in their 🌛 3–0 win.[41] Over the course of the 2002–03 season, his representatives suggested the player to Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier and 🌛 Barcelona president Joan Laporta.[42] Manager Arsène Wenger, who was interested in signing Ronaldo, met with him at Arsenal's stadium in 🌛 November to discuss a possible transfer.[43]
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was determined to acquire Ronaldo on a permanent move urgently, 🌛 after Sporting defeated United 3–1 at the inauguration of the Estádio José Alvalade on 6 August 2003. Initially, United had 🌛 planned to sign Ronaldo and loan him back to Sporting for a year.[44] Having been impressed by him, the United 🌛 players urged Ferguson to sign him. After the game, Ferguson agreed to pay Sporting £12.24 million[44] for what he considered 🌛 to be "one of the most exciting young players" he had ever seen.[45] A decade after his departure from the 🌛 club, in 2013, Sporting honoured Ronaldo by selecting him to become their 100,000th member.[46]
Manchester United
2003–2007: Development and breakthrough
"There have been 🌛 a few players described as 'the new George Best' over the years, but this is the first time it's been 🌛 a compliment to me." —Former Manchester United player George Best hails the 18-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo in 2003.[47]
Ronaldo's move to Manchester 🌛 United was completed on 12 August 2003, too late for the 2003 FA Community Shield but in time for their 🌛 game against Bolton Wanderers on the opening day of the 2003–04 season, and made him the first Portuguese player to 🌛 sign for the club.[48] His transfer fee made him, at the time, the most expensive teenager in English football history.[49] 🌛 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.[50] Wearing the number 7 became an 🌛 extra source of motivation for Ronaldo.[51] A key element in his development during his time in England proved to be 🌛 Ferguson, of whom he later said: "He's been my father in sport, one of the most important and influential factors 🌛 in my career."[52]
Ronaldo playing for Manchester United against Chelsea during the 2005–06 Premier League season
Ronaldo made his debut as a 🌛 substitute in a 4–0 home win over Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League on 16 August 2003, and received a 🌛 standing ovation when he came on for Nicky Butt.[53] His performance earned praise from Best, who hailed it as "undoubtedly 🌛 the most exciting debut" he had ever seen.[47] Ronaldo scored his first goal for Manchester United with a free-kick in 🌛 a 3–0 win over Portsmouth on 1 November.[54] Three more league goals followed in the second half of the campaign,[55] 🌛 the last of which came against Aston Villa on the final day of the season, a match in which he 🌛 also received the first red card of his career.[56] Ronaldo ended his first season in English football by scoring the 🌛 opening goal in United's 3–0 win over Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup Final, earning his first trophy.[57] BBC pundit 🌛 Alan Hansen described him as the star of the final.[58] The British press had been critical of Ronaldo during the 🌛 season for his "elaborate" step-overs in trying to beat opponents,[59] but teammate Gary Neville said he was "not a show 🌛 pony, but the real thing", and predicted he would become a world-class player.[60]
"He has got the tricks and party pieces, 🌛 we know that, but they're not much good unless there is something at the end of it all. We still 🌛 have to remember, of course, that the lad is only 19 years of age. Considering that, you have to say 🌛 he has got massive talent. His feet are mesmerising at times, and if he can couple that with some consistently 🌛 good crossing, the future looks frightening." —Former BBC pundit Alan Hansen commenting on Ronaldo after his first season.[58]
Ronaldo scored United's 🌛 1,000th Premier League goal on 29 October 2004, their only goal in a 4–1 loss to Middlesbrough.[61] A few weeks 🌛 later, he signed a new contract with the club that extended his previous deal by two years to 2010.[62] At 🌛 the start of 2005, Ronaldo played two of his best matches of the 2004–05 season, producing a goal and an 🌛 assist against Aston Villa and scoring twice against rivals Arsenal.[63][64] He played the full 120 minutes of the 2005 FA 🌛 Cup Final against Arsenal, which ended in a goalless draw; although Ronaldo scored his attempt in the penalty shoot-out, United 🌛 lost 5–4.[65] Ronaldo 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.[66]
During his third season in England, Ronaldo was involved in several incidents. He had 🌛 a one-match ban imposed on him by UEFA for a "one-fingered gesture" towards Benfica fans,[67] and was sent off in 🌛 the Manchester derby (a 3–1 defeat) for kicking Manchester City's former United player Andy Cole.[68] Ronaldo clashed with a teammate, 🌛 striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took offence at the winger's showboating style of play.[69] Following the 2006 FIFA World Cup, 🌛 in which he was involved in an incident where club teammate Wayne Rooney was sent off,[70] Ronaldo publicly asked for 🌛 a transfer, lamenting the lack of support he felt he had received from the club over the incident.[71] United denied 🌛 the possibility of him leaving the club.[72]
Although his World Cup altercation with Rooney resulted in Ronaldo being booed throughout the 🌛 2006–07 season,[73] it proved to be his break-out year, as he broke the 20-goal barrier for the first time and 🌛 won his first Premier League title. An important factor in this success was his one-to-one training by first-team coach René 🌛 Meulensteen, who taught him to make himself more unpredictable, improve his teamwork, call for the ball and capitalise on goalscoring 🌛 opportunities rather than waiting for the chance to score the aesthetically pleasing goals for which he was already known.[74] He 🌛 scored three consecutive braces at the end of December, against Aston Villa (a win that put United on top of 🌛 the league), Wigan and Reading.[75][76][77] Ronaldo was named the Premier League Player of the Month in November and December, becoming 🌛 only the third player to receive consecutive honours.[78]
2007–2008: Collective and individual success
Ronaldo playing for Manchester United during the 2006–07 Premier 🌛 League season
At the quarter-final stage of the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League, Ronaldo scored his first goals in his 30th match 🌛 in the competition,[79] scoring twice in a 7–1 win over Roma.[80] He subsequently scored four minutes into the first semi-final 🌛 leg against Milan, which ended in a 3–2 win,[81] but was marked out of the second leg as United lost 🌛 3–0 at the San Siro.[82] He also helped United reach the 2007 FA Cup Final, but the final against Chelsea 🌛 ended in a 1–0 defeat.[83] Ronaldo scored the only goal in the Manchester derby on 5 May (his 50th goal 🌛 for the club), as United won their first league title in four years.[84] As a result of his performances, he 🌛 amassed a host of personal awards for the season. He won the Professional Footballers' Association's Player's Player, Fans' Player and 🌛 Young Player of the Year awards, as well as the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year award,[85][86] becoming the 🌛 first player to win all four main PFA and FWA honours.[87] His wages were raised to £120,000 a week as 🌛 part of a five-year contract extension.[88] Ronaldo was named runner-up to Kaká for the 2007 Ballon d'Or,[89] and came third, 🌛 behind Kaká and Lionel Messi, in the running for the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year award.[90]
Ronaldo scored his 🌛 first hat-trick for United in a 6–0 win against Newcastle United on 12 January 2008, which put United top of 🌛 the league table.[91] On 19 March, he captained United for the first time in a home win over Bolton and 🌛 scored both goals in a 2–0 win.[92] His second goal was his 33rd of the campaign, surpassing George Best's total 🌛 of 32 goals in the 1967–68 season, setting the club's new single-season record by a midfielder.[93] His 31 league goals 🌛 earned him the Premier League Golden Boot,[94] as well as the European Golden Shoe, which made him the first winger 🌛 to win the latter award.[95] He additionally received the PFA Players' Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the 🌛 Year awards for the second consecutive season.[96][97] In the knockout stage of the Champions League, Ronaldo scored the decisive goal 🌛 against Lyon to help United advance to the quarter-finals 2–1 on aggregate;[98] while playing as a striker, he scored with 🌛 a header in the 3–0 aggregate win over Roma.[99] United reached the final against Chelsea in Moscow on 21 May, 🌛 where, despite his opening goal being negated by an equaliser and his penalty kick being saved in the shoot-out,[100] United 🌛 emerged victorious 1–1, winning the penalties 6–5.[101][102] As the Champions League top scorer, Ronaldo was named the UEFA Club Footballer 🌛 of the Year.[103]
Ronaldo scored a total of 42 goals in all competitions during the 2007–08 season, his most prolific campaign 🌛 during his time in England. He missed three matches after headbutting a Portsmouth player at the start of the season, 🌛 an experience he said taught him not to let opponents provoke him.[104] As rumours circulated of Ronaldo's interest in moving 🌛 to Real Madrid, United filed a tampering complaint with governing body FIFA over Madrid's alleged pursuit of their player, but 🌛 they declined to take action.[105] FIFA president Sepp Blatter asserted that the player should be allowed to leave his club, 🌛 describing the situation as "modern slavery".[106] Despite Ronaldo publicly agreeing with Blatter,[107] he remained at United for another year.[108]
2008–2009: Ballon 🌛 d'Or and continued success
Ronaldo in 2009 with Manchester United playing in a Premier League game against Liverpool
Ahead of the 2008–09 🌛 season, on 7 July, Ronaldo underwent ankle surgery,[109] which kept him out of action for 10 weeks.[110] Following his return, 🌛 he scored his 100th goal in all competitions for United with the first of two free kicks in a 5–0 🌛 win against Stoke City on 15 November,[111] which meant he had now scored against all 19 opposition teams in the 🌛 Premier League at the time.[112] At the close of 2008, Ronaldo helped United win the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup 🌛 in Japan,[113] assisting the final-winning goal against Liga de Quito and winning the Silver Ball in the process.[114] With his 🌛 2008 Ballon d'Or and 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year, Ronaldo became United's first Ballon d'Or winner since Best 🌛 in 1968,[115] and the first Premier League player to be named the FIFA World Player of the Year.[116]
His match-winning goal 🌛 in the second leg against Porto, a 40-yard strike, earned him the inaugural FIFA Puskás Award, presented by FIFA in 🌛 recognition of the best goal of the year;[117] he later called it the best goal he had ever scored.[118] United 🌛 advanced to the final in Rome,[119] where he made little impact in United's 2–0 defeat to Barcelona.[120] Ronaldo ended his 🌛 time in England with nine trophies, as United claimed their third successive league title and a Football League Cup.[121][122] He 🌛 finished the campaign with 26 goals in all competitions, 16 goals fewer than the previous season, in four more appearances.[123] 🌛 His final goal for United came on 10 May 2009 with a free kick in the Manchester derby at Old 🌛 Trafford.[124]
Real Madrid
As his usual number 7 was unavailable, Ronaldo wore number 9 during his debut season at Madrid. After Raúl 🌛 departed the club, Ronaldo was handed the number 7 shirt before the 2010–11 season.
Ahead of the 2009–10 season, Ronaldo joined 🌛 Real Madrid for a world record transfer fee at the time of £80 million (€94 million).[125] His contract, which ran 🌛 until 2024, was worth €11 million per year and contained a €1 billion buy-out clause.[126] At least 80,000 fans attended 🌛 his presentation at the Santiago Bernabéu, surpassing the 25-year record of 75,000 fans who had welcomed Diego Maradona at Napoli.[127] 🌛 Since club captain Raúl already wore the number 7 (the number Ronaldo wore at United), Ronaldo received the number 9 🌛 shirt,[128] which was presented to him by former Madrid player Alfredo Di Stéfano.[129]
2009–2013: World record transfer and La Liga title
Ronaldo 🌛 made his La Liga debut against Deportivo La Coruña on 29 August, scoring a penalty in a 3–2 home win.[130] 🌛 He scored in each of his first four league games, the first Madrid player to do so.[131] His first Champions 🌛 League goals for the club followed with two free kicks in the first group match against Zürich.[132] His strong start 🌛 to the season was interrupted when he suffered an ankle injury in October while on international duty, which kept him 🌛 sidelined for seven weeks.[133][134] A week after his return, he received his first red card in Spain in a match 🌛 against Almería.[135] Midway through the season, Ronaldo finished second in the 2009 Ballon d'Or and the 2009 FIFA World Player 🌛 of the Year awards, behind Messi. He finished the season with 33 goals in all competitions, including a hat-trick in 🌛 a 4–1 win against Mallorca on 5 May 2010, his first in La Liga,[136][137] and became Real Madrid's highest goalscorer 🌛 that season. Although Ronaldo helped amass a club record 96 points in the league, he did not win a trophy 🌛 in his first season.[138][139]
Following Raúl's departure, Ronaldo was given the number 7 shirt for Madrid before the 2010–11 season.[140] His 🌛 subsequent return to his Ballon d'Or-winning form was epitomised when, for the first time in his career, he scored four 🌛 goals in a single match during a 6–1 rout against Racing Santander on 23 October.[141] Ronaldo subsequently scored further hat-tricks 🌛 against Athletic Bilbao, Levante, Villarreal and Málaga.[142][143][144] Despite his performances, he did not make the top three in the inaugural 🌛 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or.[145] During a historic series of four Clásicos against rivals Barcelona in April 2011, Ronaldo scored twice 🌛 to equal his personal record of 42 goals in all competitions. Though he failed to score in either leg of 🌛 the Champions League semi-finals as Madrid were eliminated, he equalised from the penalty spot in the return league game and 🌛 scored the match-winning goal in the 103rd minute of the 2011 Copa del Rey Final, winning his first trophy in 🌛 Spain.[146][147] His two goals in the last match of the season against Almería made him the first player in La 🌛 Liga to score 40 goals.[148] 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.[149]
Ronaldo scored 46 league goals during the La Liga 🌛 championship success in his third season in Spain.
During the following season, Ronaldo achieved a new personal best of 60 goals 🌛 in all competitions.[150] He finished as runner-up to Messi for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or, after scoring hat-tricks against Real 🌛 Zaragoza, Rayo Vallecano, Málaga, Osasuna and Sevilla, the last of which put Madrid on top of the league by the 🌛 season's midway point.[151][152][153] Ronaldo found greater team success in the league, helping Madrid win their first league title in four 🌛 years with a record 100 points. Following a hat-trick against Levante as Madrid further increased their lead over Barcelona,[154] he 🌛 scored his 100th league goal for Madrid in a 5–1 win over Real Sociedad on 24 March 2012, a milestone 🌛 he reached in just 92 matches across three seasons, breaking the previous club record held by Ferenc Puskás.[155] Another hat-trick 🌛 in the Madrid derby against Atlético Madrid brought his total to 40 league goals, equalling his record of the previous 🌛 season.[156] His final league goal of the season, against Mallorca, took his total to 46 goals, four short of the 🌛 new record set by Messi,[157] though he became the first player to score against all 19 opposition teams in a 🌛 single La Liga season.[158]
Ronaldo began the 2012–13 season by lifting the 2012 Supercopa de España, his third trophy in Spain. 🌛 With a goal in each leg, he helped Madrid win the Spanish Super Cup on away goals following a 4–4 🌛 aggregate draw against Barcelona.[159] Although Ronaldo publicly commented that he was unhappy with a "professional issue" within the club, prompted 🌛 by his refusal to celebrate his 150th goal for Madrid,[160] his goalscoring rate did not suffer. After netting a hat-trick, 🌛 including two penalties, against Deportivo, he scored his first hat-trick in the Champions League in a 4–1 win over Ajax.[161] 🌛 Four days later, he became the first player to score in six successive Clásicos when he hit a brace in 🌛 a 2–2 draw at Camp Nou.[162] His performances again saw Ronaldo voted second in the running for the 2012 FIFA 🌛 Ballon d'Or, behind four-time winner Messi.[163]
2013–2024: Consecutive Ballon d'Or wins and La Décima
Following the 2012–13 winter break, Ronaldo captained Madrid 🌛 for the first time in an official match, scoring twice to lift 10-man Madrid to a 4–3 win over Sociedad 🌛 on 6 January.[164] He subsequently became the first non-Spanish player in 60 years to captain Madrid in El Clasico on 🌛 30 January, a match which also marked his 500th club appearance.[165] Three days prior, he had scored his 300th club 🌛 goal as part of a perfect hat-trick against Getafe.[166] He scored his 200th goal for Madrid on 8 May in 🌛 a 6–2 win against Málaga, reaching the landmark in 197 games.[167] He helped Madrid reach the 2013 Copa del Rey 🌛 Final by scoring twice in El Clásico, which marked the sixth successive match at Camp Nou in which he had 🌛 scored,[168] a club record.[159] In the final, he headed the opening goal of an eventual 2–1 extra time defeat to 🌛 Atlético, but was shown a red card for violent conduct.[169] In the first knockout round of the Champions League, Ronaldo 🌛 faced his former club Manchester United for the first time. After scoring the equaliser in a 1–1 draw at home,[170] 🌛 he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 win on his first return to Old Trafford.[171] He did not celebrate 🌛 scoring against his former club as a mark of respect.[172] After scoring three goals against Galatasaray in the quarters, he 🌛 scored Madrid's only goal in the 4–1 away defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals and Real were eliminated at 🌛 the semi-final stage for the third consecutive year despite a 2–0 win in the second leg.[173]
Ronaldo scored a record 17 🌛 UEFA Champions League goals during the 2013–14 season en route to La Décima.
At the start of the 2013–14 season, Ronaldo 🌛 signed a new contract that extended his stay by three years to 2024, with a salary of €17 million net, 🌛 making him briefly the highest-paid player in football.[174] He was joined at the club by winger Gareth Bale, whose world 🌛 record transfer fee of €100 million surpassed the fee Madrid had paid for Ronaldo four years prior.[175] Together with striker 🌛 Karim Benzema, they formed an attacking trio popularly dubbed "BBC", an acronym of Bale, Benzema and Cristiano, and a play 🌛 on the name of the British public service broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).[176] By late November, Ronaldo had scored 🌛 32 goals from 22 matches for both club and country, including hat-tricks against Galatasaray, Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Northern Ireland, and 🌛 Sweden.[177][178][179] He ended 2013 with 69 goals in 59 appearances, his highest year-end goal tally.[180] He received the 2013 FIFA 🌛 Ballon d'Or, an amalgamation of the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, for the first 🌛 time in his career.[181]
Concurrently with his individual achievements, Ronaldo enjoyed his greatest team success in Spain to date, as he 🌛 helped Madrid win La Décima, their tenth European Cup. His goal in a 3–0 home win over Dortmund (his 100th 🌛 Champions League match) took his total for the season to 14 goals, equalling the record Messi had set two years 🌛 before.[182] After hitting a brace in a 4–0 defeat of Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena,[183] he scored from the 🌛 penalty spot in the 120th minute of the 4–1 final win over Atlético, becoming the first player to score in 🌛 two European Cup finals for two different winning teams.[184] His overall performance in the final was subdued as a result 🌛 of patellar tendinitis and related hamstring problems, which had plagued him in the last months of the campaign. Ronaldo played 🌛 the final against medical advice, later commenting: "In your life you do not win without sacrifices and you must take 🌛 risks".[185] As the competition's top goalscorer for the third time, with a record 17 goals,[186] he was named the UEFA 🌛 Best Player in Europe.[187]
In the Copa del Rey, Ronaldo helped Madrid reach the final by scoring two penalties against Atlético 🌛 at the Vicente Calderón,[188] the first of which meant he had now scored in every single minute of a 90-minute 🌛 football match.[189] His continued issues with his knee and thigh caused him to miss the final, where Madrid defeated Barcelona 🌛 2–1 to claim the trophy.[190] Ronaldo scored 31 goals in 30 league games, which earned him the Pichichi and the 🌛 European Golden Shoe, receiving the latter award jointly with Liverpool striker Luis Suárez.[191] Among his haul was his 400th career 🌛 goal, in 653 appearances for club and country, which came with a brace against Celta Vigo on 6 January; he 🌛 dedicated his goals to compatriot Eusébio, who had died two days before.[192] A last-minute, back-heeled volley scored against Valencia on 🌛 4 May (his 50th goal in all competitions) was recognised as the best goal of the season by the Liga 🌛 Nacional de Fútbol Profesional,[193] which additionally named Ronaldo the Best Player in La Liga.[194]
During the 2014–15 season Ronaldo scored a 🌛 personal best of 61 goals in all competitions.
During the 2014–15 season, Ronaldo set a new personal best of 61 goals, 🌛 starting with both goals in Madrid's 2–0 win over Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup.[195] He subsequently achieved his best-ever 🌛 goalscoring start to a league campaign, with 15 goals in the first eight rounds.[196] His record 23rd La Liga hat-trick, 🌛 scored against Celta Vigo on 6 December, made him the fastest player to reach 200 goals in La Liga, reaching 🌛 the milestone in 178th matches.[196][197] After winning the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup,[198] Ronaldo received the 2014 Ballon d'Or,[199] joining 🌛 Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten as a three-time recipient.[200] Madrid finished in second place in La Liga 🌛 and exited at the semi-final stage in the Champions League.[201] In the latter competition, Ronaldo extended his run of scoring 🌛 away to a record 12 matches with his strike in a 2–0 win against Schalke 04.[202] He scored both of 🌛 his side's goals in the semi-finals against Juventus, where Madrid were eliminated 3–2 on aggregate.[203] With 10 goals, he finished 🌛 as top scorer for a third consecutive season, alongside Messi and Neymar.[204] 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 rout of Granada.[205] His 🌛 300th goal for his club followed three days later in a 2–0 win against Rayo Vallecano.[206] Subsequent hat-tricks against Sevilla, 🌛 Espanyol and Getafe took his number of hat-tricks for Madrid to 31, surpassing Di Stéfano's club record of 28.[195] He 🌛 finished the season with 48 goals, winning a second consecutive Pichichi and the European Golden Shoe for a record fourth 🌛 time.[195]
2024–2024: All-time Madrid top scorer
At the start of his seventh season at Madrid, the 2024–16 campaign, Ronaldo became the club's 🌛 all-time top scorer, first in the league and then in all competitions. His five-goal haul in a 6–0 away win 🌛 over Espanyol on 12 September took his tally in La Liga to 230 goals in 203 games, surpassing the club's 🌛 previous record holder, Raúl.[207] A month later, on 17 October, he again surpassed Raúl when he scored the second goal 🌛 in a 3–0 defeat of Levante at the Bernabéu to take his overall total for the club to 324 goals.[note 🌛 4] Ronaldo also became the all-time top scorer in the Champions League with a hat-trick in the first group match 🌛 against Shakhtar Donetsk, having finished the previous season level with Messi on 77 goals.[209] Two goals against Malmö FF in 🌛 a 2–0 away win on 30 September saw him reach the milestone of 500 career goals for club and country.[210] 🌛 He subsequently became the first player to score double figures in the competition's group stage, setting the record at 11 🌛 goals, including another four-goal haul against Malmö.[211]
By March 2024, Ronaldo had scored 252 goals in 228 matches in La Liga 🌛 to become the competition's second-highest goalscorer.
Ronaldo's four goals in a 7–1 home win over Celta de Vigo on 5 March 🌛 2024 took his total to 252 goals in La Liga, becoming the competition's second-highest scorer in history behind Messi.[212] He 🌛 scored a hat-trick against VfL Wolfsburg to send his club into the Champions League semi-finals.[213] The treble took his tally 🌛 in the competition to 16 goals, making him the top scorer for the fourth consecutive season and the fifth overall.[214] 🌛 Suffering apparent fitness issues, Ronaldo gave a poorly-received performance in the final against Atlético, in a repeat of the 2014 🌛 final, though his penalty in the subsequent shoot-out secured Madrid's 11th victory.[215] For the sixth successive year, he ended the 🌛 season having scored over 50 goals across all competitions.[215] For his efforts during the season, he received the UEFA Best 🌛 Player in Europe Award for a second time.[216]
Ronaldo missed Madrid's first three matches of the 2024–17 season, including the 2024 🌛 UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla, as he continued to rehabilitate the knee injury he suffered against France in the Euro 🌛 2024 final.[217] On 15 September, he did not celebrate his late free kick equaliser against Sporting CP in the Champions 🌛 League, with Ronaldo stating post match that "they made me who I am".[218] On 7 November, his contract was updated 🌛 for the second time and extended by three years to 2024.[219] On 19 November, he scored a hat-trick in a 🌛 3–0 away win against Atlético, making him the all-time top scorer in the Madrid derby with 18 goals.[220] On 15 🌛 December, Ronaldo scored his 500th club career goal in the 2–0 win over Club América in the semi-finals of the 🌛 2024 FIFA Club World Cup.[221] He then scored a hat-trick in the 4–2 win over Japanese club Kashima Antlers in 🌛 the final.[222] Ronaldo finished the tournament as top scorer with four goals and was also named player of the tournament.[223] 🌛 He won the 2024 Ballon d'Or, his fourth, and the inaugural 2024 The Best FIFA Men's Player, a revival of 🌛 the former FIFA World Player of the Year, largely owing to his success with Portugal in winning Euro 2024.[224]
In the 🌛 2024–17 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals against Bayern in April, Ronaldo scored both goals in a 2–1 away win which saw 🌛 him make history by becoming the first player to reach 100 goals in UEFA club competition.[225] In the second leg 🌛 of the quarter-finals, Ronaldo scored a 'perfect' hat-trick and reached his 100th Champions League goal, becoming the first player to 🌛 do so as Madrid again defeated Bayern 4–2 after extra-time.[226] On 2 May, Ronaldo scored another hat-trick as Madrid defeated 🌛 Atlético 3–0 in the Champions League semi-final first leg. On 17 May, Ronaldo overtook Jimmy Greaves as the all-time top 🌛 scorer in the top five European leagues, scoring twice against Celta de Vigo.[227] He finished the season with 42 goals 🌛 in all competitions as he helped Madrid to win their first La Liga title since 2012.[228] In the Champions League 🌛 Final, Ronaldo scored two goals in a 4–1 victory over Juventus to take him to 12 goals for the season, 🌛 making him the competition's top goalscorer for the fifth straight season (sixth overall), as well as the first player to 🌛 score in three finals in the Champions League era; the second goal was the 600th of his senior career.[229] Madrid 🌛 also became the first team to win back-to-back finals in the Champions League era.[230]
2024–2024: Fifth Ballon d'Or and fifth Champions 🌛 League win
At the start of the 2024–18 season, Ronaldo scored Madrid's second goal in the 80th minute of a 3–1 🌛 win over Barcelona in the first leg of the 2024 Supercopa de España at Camp Nou; however, he was sent 🌛 off two minutes later and missed the second leg.[231] On 23 October, his performances throughout 2024 saw him awarded The 🌛 Best FIFA Men's Player award for the second consecutive year.[232] On 6 December, he became the first player to score 🌛 in all six Champions League group stage matches with a curling strike at home to Dortmund.[233] A day later, Ronaldo 🌛 won the 2024 Ballon d'Or, receiving his fifth-time award on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.[234] On 16 December, he scored 🌛 a free kick winner, as Madrid won their second Club World Cup in a row by beating Grêmio in the 🌛 final.[235] On 3 March 2024, he scored two goals in a 3–1 home win over Getafe, his first being his 🌛 300th La Liga goal in his 286th appearance, making him the fastest player to reach this landmark and only the 🌛 second player to do so after Messi.[236] On 18 March, he reached his 50th career hat-trick, scoring four goals in 🌛 a 6–3 win against Girona.[237]
Ronaldo in the 2024 UEFA Champions League Final, his final game for Real Madrid
On 3 April, 🌛 Ronaldo scored the first two goals in a 3–0 away win against Juventus in the quarter-finals of the 2024–18 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.[238] On 🌛 11 April, he scored in the second leg at home to Juventus, a 98th-minute injury time penalty in a 3–1 🌛 defeat, meaning Madrid advanced 4–3 on aggregate.[239] It was his tenth goal against Juventus, a Champions League record against a 🌛 single club.[240] In the final on 26 May, Madrid defeated Liverpool 3–1, winning Ronaldo his fifth Champions League title, the 🌛 first player to do so.[241] He finished as the top scorer of the tournament for the sixth consecutive season with 🌛 15 goals.[242] After the final, Ronaldo referred to his time with Madrid in the past tense, sparking speculation that he 🌛 could leave the club.[243]
Juventus
Despite months of negotiation to sign a new Real Madrid contract,[244] on 10 July 2024, 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.[245] The transfer was the highest ever for a player over 30 🌛 years old,[246] and the highest paid by an Italian club.[247] Upon signing, Ronaldo cited his need for a new challenge 🌛 as his rationale for departing Madrid,[248] but later attributed the transfer to the lack of support he felt was shown 🌛 by club president Florentino Pérez.[249]
2024–2024: Consecutive Serie A titles
On 18 August, Ronaldo made his debut in a 3–2 away win 🌛 against Chievo Verona.[250] On 16 September, Ronaldo scored his first two goals for Juventus in his fourth appearance in a 🌛 2–1 home win over Sassuolo in Serie A; his second was the 400th league goal of his career.[251] On 19 🌛 September, in his first Champions League match for Juventus, against Valencia, he was sent off in the 29th minute for 🌛 "violent conduct", his first red card in 154 tournament appearances.[252] Ronaldo became the first player in history to win 100 🌛 Champions League matches, setting up Mario Mandžukić's winner in a 1–0 home win over Valencia, which sealed Juventus's passage to 🌛 the knock-out stages of the competition.[253] In December, he scored his tenth league goal of the season, from the penalty 🌛 spot, the third in a 3–0 away win over Fiorentina.[254] After placing second in both the UEFA Men's Player of 🌛 the Year and The Best FIFA Men's Player for the first time in three years, behind Luka Modrić, Ronaldo performances 🌛 in 2024 also saw him voted runner-up for the 2024 Ballon d'Or, finishing once again behind his former teammate.[255] Ronaldo 🌛 won his first trophy with the club on 16 January 2024, the 2024 Supercoppa Italiana, after he scored the only 🌛 goal from a header against AC Milan.[256]
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.[257] 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.[258] The following month, he scored his 125th goal in the competition, opening the scoring in a 1–1 🌛 away draw in the quarter-final first leg against Ajax on 10 April.[259] In the second leg in Turin on 16 🌛 April, he scored the opening goal, but Juventus eventually lost the match 2–1 and were eliminated from the competition.[260] 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.[261] On 27 April, 🌛 he scored his 600th club goal, the equaliser in a 1–1 away draw against Derby d'Italia rivals Inter Milan.[262] Ending 🌛 his first Serie A campaign with 21 goals and 8 assists, Ronaldo won the inaugural Serie A award for Most 🌛 Valuable Player.[263]
Ronaldo playing for Juventus against Torino in November 2024
Ronaldo scored his first goal of the 2024–20 season in a 🌛 4–3 home league win over Napoli on 31 August 2024.[264] On 23 September, he came in 3rd place for the 🌛 Best FIFA Men's Player Award.[265] On 1 October, he reached several milestones in Juventus's 3–0 Champions League group stage win 🌛 over Bayer Leverkusen: he scored in a 14th consecutive season, equalling Raúl and Messi's record; he broke Iker Casillas' record 🌛 for most Champions League wins of all time, and equalled Raúl's record of scoring against 33 different opponents.[266] On 6 🌛 November in a 2–1 away win against Lokomotiv Moscow, he equalled Paolo Maldini as the second-most capped player in UEFA 🌛 club competitions with 174 appearances.[267] 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.[268] He scored his first 🌛 Serie A hat-trick on 6 January 2024, in a 4–0 home win against Cagliari. His 56th career hat-trick, he became 🌛 only the second player after Alexis Sánchez to score hat-tricks in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A.[269] On 🌛 2 February, he scored twice from the penalty spot in a 3–0 home win over Fiorentina, equalling David Trezeguet's club 🌛 record of scoring in nine consecutive league games,[270] and broke the record six days later by scoring in his tenth 🌛 consecutive league game, a 2–1 away defeat to Hellas Verona.[271] 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.[272]
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.[273] On 4 July, he scored his 25th league goal from a 🌛 free kick in a 4–1 home win over rivals Torino, becoming the first Juventus player to achieve this milestone since 🌛 Omar Sívori in 1961; the goal was also his first from a free kick with the club after 43 attempts.[274] 🌛 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 second-fastest player to reach this landmark, after Gunnar Nordahl, and the first player in history 🌛 to reach 50 goals in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A. With his brace, he also reached 30 🌛 league goals for the season, becoming just the third player (after Felice Borel in 1934 and John Hansen in 1952) 🌛 in Juventus's history to reach that milestone in a season.[275][276] 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.[277] 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.[278] He finished his second league campaign with 31 🌛 goals, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the league behind only European Golden Shoe winner Ciro Immobile, with 36 goals.[279][280] 🌛 On 7 August, Ronaldo scored a brace 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.[281] Despite the win, the tie finished 2–2 🌛 on aggregate and Juventus were eliminated from the competition on the away goals rule.[282]
2024–2024: 100 Juve goals, Capocannoniere, and departure
On 🌛 20 September 2024, Ronaldo scored in Juventus's opening league match of the season, a 3–0 home win over Sampdoria.[283] On 🌛 1 November, having taken nearly three weeks to recover from COVID-19, he returned to action against Spezia; he came off 🌛 the bench in the second half and scored within the first three minutes, before scoring a second goal from the 🌛 penalty spot in an eventual 4–1 away win.[284] On 2 December, he scored a goal against Dynamo Kyiv in a 🌛 Champions League group stage match, his 750th senior career goal.[285] 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.[286] On 20 January 2024, Juventus won the 2024 Supercoppa Italiana after a 2–0 win against Napoli, with 🌛 Ronaldo scoring the opening goal.[287] On 2 March, 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.[288] On 14 March, he scored his 57th career hat-trick in a 3–1 away win over 🌛 Cagliari.[289] 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.[290] With Juventus's 🌛 victory in the 2024 Coppa Italia Final on 19 May, Ronaldo became the first player in history to win every 🌛 major domestic trophy in England, Spain and Italy.[291] 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.[292]
On 🌛 22 August, Ronaldo started the first game of the new season on the bench, coming on as a substitute for 🌛 Álvaro Morata in a 2–2 draw against Udinese, scoring a goal that was ruled out by VAR.[293] Though manager Massimiliano 🌛 Allegri confirmed it was his decision due to Ronaldo's fitness, it came amid reports Ronaldo would depart the club before 🌛 the closure of the transfer window,[294] and Ronaldo would tell Allegri he had "no intention" of remaining a Juventus player.[295] 🌛 On 26 August, Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes reached a verbal agreement with Manchester City over personal terms,[296] but 🌛 the club pulled out of the deal the following day due to the overall cost of the transfer.[297] On the 🌛 same day, it was confirmed that City's rivals Manchester United, Ronaldo's former club, were in advanced talks to sign him,[298][299] 🌛 while former manager Alex Ferguson and several ex-teammates had been in contact to persuade him to re-sign for United.[300][301]
Return to 🌛 Manchester United
2024–2024: 100 Premier League goals and team struggles
On 27 August 2024, Manchester United announced they had reached an agreement 🌛 with Juventus to re-sign Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical.[302] The transfer was for an initial 🌛 £12.85 million, with a two-year contract plus an optional year, and was confirmed on 31 August.[303] Ronaldo was given the 🌛 number 7 shirt after Edinson Cavani agreed to switch to 21.[304] 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.[305]
Ronaldo in a 🌛 Premier League match against Newcastle in September 2024, his first game back at Manchester United
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.[306] 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.[307] In the next Champions League fixture on 20 🌛 October, Ronaldo again scored a last minute winner, helping United overturn a two-goal deficit in a 3–2 home victory against 🌛 Atalanta,[308] and scored both goals, including a last minute equaliser, in the reverse fixture against Atalanta on 2 November.[309] On 🌛 23 November, Ronaldo became the first player to score in five consecutive matches of a Champions League campaign for an 🌛 English club, after opening United's 2–0 victory away against Villarreal, with his six goals being crucial to United's qualifying for 🌛 the round of 16 as group winners.[310] On 2 December, Ronaldo netted two goals in a 3–2 home league win 🌛 against Arsenal, which saw him surpass 800 career goals.[311]
The following month, after enduring a fractured relationship with his teammates and 🌛 interim manager Ralf Rangnick, his performances and his team's declined during the season, with Ronaldo equalling his worst goalscoring run 🌛 since 2010 during his time with Real Madrid, being two months without scoring a goal,[312] before scoring his first goal 🌛 in the new year, opening United's 2–0 win home against Brighton & Hove Albion on 15 February 2024.[313] Following a 🌛 hamstring injury, which saw him miss the Manchester derby against Manchester City, Ronaldo made his return from injury on 12 🌛 March, scoring a hat-trick in a 3–2 victory against Tottenham Hotspur, which saw him pass Josef Bican's record for goals 🌛 scored in professional football with 807 career goals,[314] although the Football Association of the Czech Republic claimed that Bican had 🌛 scored 821 career goals.[315] On 16 April, Ronaldo scored his 50th club hat-trick in a 3–2 win over Norwich City.[316] 🌛 On 23 April, he scored his 100th Premier League goal in a 3–1 defeat to Arsenal.[317] After scoring in the 🌛 following matches against Chelsea and Brentford, he was named the Premier League Player of the Month for April.[318]
He finished the 🌛 season with 24 goals in all competitions, 18 of those goals being in the Premier League, making him the third-highest 🌛 goalscorer in the league behind Golden Boot winners Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min, being named in the Premier League Team 🌛 of the Year and the winner of United's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, given to the club's 🌛 best player from the previous season;[319][320] however, with United finishing in a disappointing sixth place and qualifying for the UEFA 🌛 Europa League, Ronaldo went trophyless for the first time since 2010.[321]
2024: Final season and departure
After growing dissatisfaction with the direction 🌛 of United on and off the field, Ronaldo missed the club's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia due to family 🌛 reasons, amid reports of his desire to leave to join a club competing in the Champions League, despite incoming manager 🌛 Erik ten Hag insisting that he was not for sale and was part of the club's plans.[322] His agent Jorge 🌛 Mendes began negotiating with various clubs for a transfer on loan or on a free transfer, including Bayern Munich, Paris 🌛 Saint-Germain and Chelsea, with the latter club's new owner Todd Boehly being keen on a possible transfer.[323] However, due to 🌛 his age, overall cost of a transfer and high wages demands, multiple European clubs rejected the opportunity to sign him, 🌛 including Chelsea after their manager Thomas Tuchel did not approve his signing.[324]
Ronaldo in a Premier League match against Brighton & 🌛 Hove Albion in August 2024
Having failed to secure a transfer, Ronaldo lost his place in the starting line-up to Marcus 🌛 Rashford and Anthony Martial, mostly featuring in Europa League matches. He scored his first goal in the competition aged 37, 🌛 converting a penalty to make it 2–0 against Sheriff Tiraspol on 15 September.[325] On 2 October, Ronaldo was an unused 🌛 substitute in United's 6–3 loss to Manchester City, with ten Hag saying that he refused to bring him on out 🌛 of "respect for his big career".[326] On 9 October, Ronaldo came on as a substitute and scored his 700th career 🌛 club goal in a 2–1 win against Everton.[327] Ten days later, Ronaldo refused to be brought on as a substitute 🌛 during a home game against Tottenham and left the ground before the full-time whistle;[328][329] Ten Hag punished him by dropping 🌛 him from the squad for an upcoming fixture with Chelsea, and made him train separately from the first team.[330][331] Following 🌛 discussions with the manager, Ronaldo returned to training and started in United's home win over Sheriff on 27 October, scoring 🌛 the third goal and ensuring United's qualification to the Europa League knockout stage.[332] Ten Hag named Ronaldo as captain for 🌛 a 3–1 defeat to Aston Villa on 6 November, saying that Ronaldo was "an important part of the squad, we 🌛 are happy with him and now he has to take even more of the leader role".[333] Ronaldo then missed United's 🌛 following matches before the World Cup break, with Ten Hag saying that Ronaldo was ill.[334]
On 14 November, an interview with 🌛 Piers Morgan was published, where Ronaldo said that he felt "betrayed" by Ten Hag and senior executives who wanted Ronaldo 🌛 to leave the club, and accused the club of doubting him regarding the illness of his daughter that led him 🌛 to miss pre-season, adding that he did not respect ten Hag "because he doesn't show respect for me", leading him 🌛 to be disappointed with the communication of the club.[335] Ronaldo claimed that ten Hag deliberately provoked him by first leaving 🌛 him on the bench against City, and then wanting to bring him on in the final moments against Tottenham, but 🌛 added that he regretted his decision to leave early.[335] He also questioned the appointment of Rangnick the previous season as 🌛 he was a "sporting director and not even a coach".[335][336] On the club itself, Ronaldo stated there was "no evolution" 🌛 since the departure of former manager Alex Ferguson in 2013, despite expecting changes in "technology, infrastructure".[335][336] Ronaldo claimed that the 🌛 Glazer family "did not care about the club" as he never spoke with them, and described United as a "marketing 🌛 club".[335][336] Following the interview, which aired in two-parts on 16 and 17 November, United began seeking legal action over whether 🌛 Ronaldo had breached his contract,[337] and were looking to terminate his contract.[338] On 22 November, Ronaldo's contract was terminated by 🌛 mutual agreement with immediate effect.[339]
Al Nassr
On 30 December 2024, Saudi club Al Nassr reached an agreement for Ronaldo to join 🌛 the club effective 1 January 2024, signing a contract until 2025.[340] As reported by Fabrizio Romano of The Guardian, Ronaldo 🌛 received the highest football salary in history, worth €200 million per year;[341][342] this included an annual guaranteed football salary of 🌛 €90 million, with commercial and sponsorship deals included bringing his total annual salary to €200 million. He was also reportedly 🌛 paid a signing-on bonus in the region of €100 million.[343] According to Romano, Ronaldo rejected a move to Major League 🌛 Soccer club Sporting Kansas City to join Al Nassr.[344]
2024: Debut season and league runner-up
Ronaldo was due to appear in a 🌛 match against Al-Tai on 5 January 2024, but had to serve a two-match ban incurred while he was still at 🌛 Manchester United for knocking a phone out of a 14-year-old Everton fan's hand after a 1–0 loss at Goodison Park 🌛 in April 2024.[345] On 19 January, Ronaldo played for the first time since transferring to Saudi Arabia, in an exhibition 🌛 game featuring a combined team of Riyadh's Al Nassr and Al Hilal players against Paris Saint-Germain. Ronaldo scored twice in 🌛 a 5–4 loss.[346] He made his debut for Al Nassr on 22 January, as club captain, playing the full 90 🌛 minutes of a 1–0 win over Al-Ettifaq,[347] and scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw against Al-Fateh by converting 🌛 a last-minute penalty.[348] 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.[349] On 25 February, he scored his second hat-trick for the 🌛 club, helping his side to a 3–0 away league victory against Damac.[350] Ronaldo was awarded the Player of the Month 🌛 award for February after scoring eight goals and assisting twice.[351] Ronaldo spent another season without winning a league title, as 🌛 Al Nassr finished second in the league in the 2024–23 season.[352]
2024–present: Arab Club Champions Cup winner
Ronaldo's signing for Al-Nassr resulted 🌛 in increased popularity both domestically and internationally of the Saudi Pro League, with various European players such as Karim Benzema, 🌛 Sadio Mané, N'Golo Kanté, Rúben Neves, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino and Neymar moving to the Saudi Pro League during the 🌛 summer transfer window, crediting Ronaldo as one of the main factors for moving to the league.[353]
Ronaldo with Al-Nassr in a 🌛 AFC Champions League match against Persepolis in September 2024
He scored his first goal of the 2024–24 season in a 4–1 🌛 win over Union Monastirienne in the Arab Club Champions Cup on 31 July.[354] In the next Arab Club Champions Cup 🌛 fixture on 3 August, Ronaldo scored a late equaliser against Zamalek, to help his side secure a 1–1 draw and 🌛 qualify for the quarter-finals in second place of their group.[355] In the semi-finals on 9 August, Ronaldo scored the only 🌛 goal of a win over Al-Shorta, converting a penalty to help Al Nassr reach their first ever Arab Club Champions 🌛 Cup final.[356] In the final on 12 August, Ronaldo scored both goals for a ten-man Al Nassr as they defeated 🌛 rivals Al-Hilal 2–1 after extra time to win the competition for the first time in their history. Ronaldo was awarded 🌛 the competition's top scorer award having scored six goals in the competition.[357]
On 18 August, Ronaldo made his first league appearance 🌛 of the season in a 2–0 defeat to Al-Taawoun,[358] and scored his first hat-trick of the season in a 5–0 🌛 away win against Al-Fateh a week later.[359] On 29 August, Ronaldo scored twice and assisted once in a 4–0 win 🌛 against rivals Al-Shabab.[360] Ronaldo was awarded the SPL Player of the Month award for August after scoring five goals and 🌛 assisting twice.[361] On 2 September, he scored a goal in Al-Nassr's 5–1 away win against Al-Hazem, his 850th senior career 🌛 goal.[362] On 19 September, Ronaldo made his AFC Champions League debut, starting in a 2–0 win over Persepolis, becoming the 🌛 first player in football history to record 1000 career games unbeaten (776 wins and 224 draws).[363] Ronaldo received the SPL 🌛 Player of the Month award for a second consecutive month after recording five goals and three assists in September.[364] On 🌛 2 October, he scored his first AFC Champions League goal in the home fixture against Istiklol, the equaliser in an 🌛 eventual 3–1 win.[365]
International career
2001–2007: Youth level and senior debut
Ronaldo (bottom left) playing for Portugal during their semi-final match against the 🌛 Netherlands at Euro 2004
Ronaldo began his international career with Portugal under-15 in 2001. During his international youth career, Ronaldo would 🌛 represent the under-15, under-17, under-20, under-21 and under-23 national sides, amassing 34 youth caps and scoring 18 goals overall.[7]
Aged 18, 🌛 Ronaldo made his first senior appearance for Portugal in a 1–0 win over Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003,[366] coming on 🌛 as a half-time substitute for Luís Figo.[367] He was subsequently called up for UEFA Euro 2004, held in his home 🌛 country, and scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to eventual champions Greece, his eighth appearance 🌛 for Portugal.[367] After converting his penalty in a shoot-out against England in the quarter-finals,[368] he helped Portugal reach the final 🌛 by scoring the opening goal in a 2–1 win over the Netherlands.[369] He was featured in the team of the 🌛 tournament, having provided two assists in addition to his two goals.[370]
Ronaldo was Portugal's second-highest scorer in their qualification group for 🌛 the 2006 FIFA World Cup with seven goals.[366] During the tournament, he scored his first World Cup goal against Iran 🌛 with a penalty kick in Portugal's second match of the group stage.[371] At the age of 21 years and 132 🌛 days, Ronaldo became the youngest ever goalscorer for Portugal at a World Cup finals.[372] In Portugal's infamously dirty round of 🌛 16 match against the Netherlands, Ronaldo was forced off injured in the first half after a tackle from Dutch defender 🌛 Khalid Boulahrouz.[367] Following Portugal's 1–0 win, Ronaldo accused Boulahrouz of intentionally trying to injure him, although he recovered in time 🌛 to play in the next game.[373] In Portugal's quarter-final against England, Ronaldo's Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney was sent off 🌛 for stamping on Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho. Although the referee later clarified that the red card was only due to 🌛 Rooney's infraction,[374] the English media speculated that Ronaldo had influenced his decision by aggressively complaining, after which he was seen 🌛 in replays winking at Portugal's bench following Rooney's dismissal.[367][375] Ronaldo went on to score the vital winning penalty during the 🌛 shoot-out which sent Portugal into the semi-finals.[367] Ronaldo was subsequently booed during their 1–0 semi-final defeat to France.[376] FIFA's Technical 🌛 Study Group overlooked him for the tournament's Best Young Player award and handed it to Germany's Lukas Podolski, citing his 🌛 behaviour as a factor in the decision.[367][377] Following the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo would go on to represent Portugal in 🌛 four qualifying games for Euro 2008, scoring two goals in the process.[378][379]
2007–2012: Assuming the captaincy
Ronaldo, pictured playing against Germany at 🌛 Euro 2012, was made captain for Portugal in 2008.
One day after turning 22, Ronaldo captained Portugal for the first time 🌛 in a friendly game against Brazil on 6 February 2007,[380] as requested by Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) president Carlos Silva, 🌛 who had died two days earlier.[380] Ahead of Euro 2008, he was given the number 7 shirt for the first 🌛 time.[381] While he scored eight goals in qualifications,[382] the second-highest tally, he scored just one goal in the tournament, netting 🌛 the second goal of their 3–1 win in the group stage match against the Czech Republic. In the same game, 🌛 he also set-up Portugal's third goal in injury time, which was scored by Quaresma, and was named man of the 🌛 match for his performance.[383][384] Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals with a 3–2 loss against eventual finalists Germany.[385]
After Portugal's unsuccessful 🌛 performance at Euro 2008, Luiz Felipe Scolari was replaced as coach by Carlos Queiroz, formerly the assistant manager at United.[386] 🌛 Queiroz made Ronaldo the squad's permanent captain in July 2008.[387] Ronaldo failed to score a single goal in the qualification 🌛 for the 2010 World Cup,[367] as Portugal narrowly avoided a premature elimination from the tournament with a play-off victory over 🌛 Bosnia and Herzegovina.[388] In the group stage of the World Cup, he was named man of the match in all 🌛 three matches, against Ivory Coast, North Korea and Brazil.[389][390][391] His only goal of the tournament came in their 7–0 rout 🌛 of North Korea, which marked his first international goal in 16 months.[392] Portugal's World Cup ended with a 1–0 loss 🌛 against eventual champions Spain in the round of 16.[393]
Ronaldo scored seven goals in qualifications for Euro 2012, including two strikes 🌛 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-offs, to send Portugal into the tournament, where they were drawn in a "group 🌛 of death".[394] In the last group stage game against the Netherlands, Ronaldo scored twice to secure a 2–1 win.[395] He 🌛 scored a header in the quarter-final against the Czech Republic to give his team a 1–0 win.[396] In both games 🌛 against the Netherlands and the Czech Republic he was named man of the match.[397][398] After the semi-finals against Spain ended 🌛 scoreless, Portugal were eliminated in the penalty shoot-out.[399] Ronaldo did not take a penalty as he had been slated to 🌛 take the unused fifth slot.[400] Ronaldo's own teammate, Nani, said that Ronaldo "demanded" to take the last penalty.[401] As the 🌛 joint top scorer with three goals, alongside five other players, he was again included in the team of the tournament.[8]
2012–2024: 🌛 All-time Portugal top scorer and European champion
Ronaldo evading Luka Modrić during a friendly match against Croatia in 2013
During the qualification 🌛 for the 2014 World Cup, Ronaldo scored a total of eight goals. A qualifying match on 17 October 2012, a 🌛 1–1 draw against Northern Ireland, earned him his 100th cap.[402] His first international hat-trick also came against Northern Ireland, when 🌛 he scored three times in a 15-minute spell of a 4–2 qualifying win on 6 September 2013.[403] After Portugal failed 🌛 to qualify during the regular campaign, Ronaldo scored all four of the team's goals in the play-offs against Sweden, billed 🌛 as a battle between Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimović, which ensured their place at the tournament.[404] His hat-trick in the second 🌛 leg took his international tally to 47 goals, equalling Pauleta's record.[405] Ronaldo subsequently scored twice in a 5–1 friendly win 🌛 over Cameroon on 5 March 2014 to become his country's all-time top scorer.[406]
Ronaldo took part in the tournament despite suffering 🌛 from patellar tendinitis and a related thigh injury,[407] potentially risking his career.[408] Ronaldo later commented: "If we had two or 🌛 three Cristiano Ronaldos in the team I would feel more comfortable. But we don't."[409] Despite ongoing doubts over his fitness, 🌛 being forced to abort practice twice,[410] Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes of the opening match against Germany, although he 🌛 was unable to prevent a 4–0 defeat.[411] After assisting an injury-time 2–2 equaliser against the United States,[412] he scored a 🌛 late match-winning goal in a 2–1 win over Ghana.[413] His 50th international goal made him the first Portuguese to play 🌛 and score in three World Cups.[414] Portugal were eliminated from the tournament at the close of the group stage on 🌛 goal difference.[413]
Ronaldo leaps in the air in Portugal's Euro 2024 quarter-final match against Poland.
Ronaldo scored five goals, including a hat-trick 🌛 against Armenia, in the qualification for Euro 2024.[415] With the only goal in another win over Armenia on 14 November 🌛 2014, he reached 23 goals in the UEFA European Championship, including qualifying matches, to become the competition's all-time leading goalscorer.[416] 🌛 At the start of the tournament, Ronaldo failed to convert his chances in Portugal's draws against Iceland and Austria, despite 🌛 taking 20 shots on goal. In the latter match, he overtook Figo as Portugal's most capped player with his 128th 🌛 international appearance, which ended scoreless after he missed a penalty in the second half.[417] With two goals in the last 🌛 match of the group stage, a 3–3 draw against Hungary, Ronaldo became the first player to score in four European 🌛 Championships, having made a record 17 appearances in the tournament.[418][419] Although placed third in their group behind Hungary and Iceland, 🌛 his team qualified for the knockout round as a result of the competition's newly expanded format,[420] despite not winning any 🌛 of their games.[367]
In Portugal's first knockout match, Ronaldo's only attempt on goal was parried by Croatia's goalkeeper Danijel Subašić into 🌛 the path of Ricardo Quaresma, whose finish then secured a 1–0 win late in extra time.[367] After his team progressed 🌛 past Poland on penalties, with Ronaldo scoring Portugal's opening penalty,[367] he became the first player to participate in three European 🌛 Championship semi-finals;[421] he scored the opener in a 2–0 win against Wales, equalling Michel Platini as the competition's all-time top 🌛 scorer with nine goals.[422] In the final against hosts France, Ronaldo was forced off after just 25 minutes following a 🌛 challenge from Dimitri Payet, despite multiple treatments and attempts to play on,[367] he was stretchered off the pitch and replaced 🌛 by Quaresma. During extra time, substitute Eder scored in the 109th minute to earn Portugal a 1–0 victory.[423] As team 🌛 captain, Ronaldo lifted the trophy in celebration of his country's first triumph in a major tournament. He was awarded the 🌛 Silver Boot as the joint second-highest goalscorer, with three goals and three assists, and was named to the team of 🌛 the tournament for the third time in his career.[424][425]
2024–2024: Post-European Championship victory and World Cup
Following the Euro 2024 success, Ronaldo 🌛 played his first professional match on his home island of Madeira on 28 March 2024 at age 32, opening a 🌛 2–3 friendly defeat to Sweden at the Estádio dos Barreiros. With the goal, he tied with Miroslav Klose on 71 🌛 goals as the third-highest scoring European in international football.[426]
In Portugal's opening match of the 2024 FIFA Confederations Cup against Mexico 🌛 on 17 June, Ronaldo set up Quaresma's opening goal in a 2–2 draw.[427] Three days later, he scored in a 🌛 1–0 win over hosts Russia.[428] On 24 June, he scored from a penalty in a 4–0 win over New Zealand, 🌛 which saw Portugal top their group and advance to the semi-finals of the competition; with his 75th international goal, Ronaldo 🌛 also equalled Sándor Kocsis as the second-highest European international goalscorer of all time, behind only Ferenc Puskás.[429][430] He was named 🌛 man of the match in all three of Portugal's group stage matches.[431] Ronaldo left the competition early; after Chile defeated 🌛 Portugal 3–0 on penalties in the semi-finals, he was allowed to return home to be with his newborn children,[432] and 🌛 missed Portugal's third-place play-off match in which Portugal defeated Mexico 2–1 after extra time.[433]
Ronaldo evades an Iran defender in the 🌛 group stage of the 2024 World Cup.
On 31 August 2024, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in a 5–1 win in a 🌛 2024 World Cup qualifying match over the Faroe Islands, which saw him overtake Pelé and equal Hussein Saeed as the 🌛 joint-fifth-highest goalscorer in international football with 78 goals.[434] These goals brought his tally in the World Cup qualifiers to 14, 🌛 equalling Predrag Mijatović's record for most goals in a single UEFA qualifying campaign, and also saw him break the record 🌛 for the most goals scored in a European qualifying group, overtaking the previous record of 13 goals set by David 🌛 Healy and Robert Lewandowski. Ronaldo's hat-trick took his World Cup qualifying goals total to 29, making him the highest scorer 🌛 in UEFA qualifiers, ahead of Andriy Shevchenko, and the highest goalscorer in World Cup qualifying and finals matches combined with 🌛 32 goals, ahead of Miroslav Klose.[435] Ronaldo later added to this tally by scoring a goal against Andorra in a 🌛 2–0 win.[436]
On 15 June 2024, Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup match, 🌛 helping Portugal secure a 3–3 draw against Spain (his third goal a 30-yard curling free kick with two minutes remaining) 🌛 in their opening match. In doing so, he became the first Portuguese player to score a goal in four World 🌛 Cups and one of four players of any nationality to do so.[437] On 20 June, Ronaldo scored the only goal 🌛 in a 1–0 win against Morocco, breaking Puskás' record as the highest European goalscorer of all time, with 85 international 🌛 goals.[438] In the final group match against Iran on 25 June, Ronaldo missed a penalty in an eventual 1–1 draw 🌛 which saw Portugal progress to the second round as group runners-up behind Spain.[439] On 30 June, Portugal were eliminated following 🌛 a 2–1 defeat to Uruguay in the last 16.[440] For his performances in the tournament, Ronaldo was named in the 🌛 World Cup Dream Team.[441]
2024–2024: Nations League title and 100 international goals
After the World Cup, Ronaldo missed six international matches, including 🌛 the entire league phase of the 2024–19 UEFA Nations League, but played for hosts Portugal in the inaugural Nations League 🌛 Finals in June 2024. In the semi-finals on 5 June, he scored a hat-trick against Switzerland to reach the final. 🌛 Upon scoring the opening goal, he became the first player to score in 10 consecutive international competitions, breaking the record 🌛 he previously shared with Ghana's Asamoah Gyan.[442] In the final of the tournament four days later, Portugal defeated the Netherlands 🌛 1–0.[443]
On 10 September 2024, Ronaldo scored four goals in a 5–1 away win over Lithuania in a Euro 2024 qualifying 🌛 match;[444] in the process, he overtook Robbie Keane (23 goals) as the player with most goals in the UEFA European 🌛 Championship qualifying, setting a new record with 25 goals.[445] He also set a new record for scoring against the most 🌛 national teams, 40,[446] while also completing his eighth international hat-trick.[447] On 14 October, he scored his 700th senior career goal 🌛 for club and country from the penalty spot, in his 974th senior career appearance, a 2–1 away loss to Ukraine 🌛 in a Euro 2024 qualifier.[448] On 17 November, Ronaldo scored his 99th international goal in a 2–0 win over Luxembourg, 🌛 leading Portugal to qualify for Euro 2024.[449] On 8 September 2024, Ronaldo scored his 100th and 101st international goals in 🌛 a 2–0 away win over Sweden in a 2024–21 UEFA Nations League match, becoming only the second male player ever 🌛 to achieve this milestone (after Ali Daei of Iran) and the first in Europe.[450][451] On 13 October, the FPF announced 🌛 that Ronaldo tested positive for COVID-19 while being asymptomatic.[452] By 30 October, Ronaldo had recovered.[453]
2024–present: All-time international appearances and top 🌛 goalscorer
The Estádio Algarve (exterior pictured) where Ronaldo broke the international goalscoring record (surpassing the 109 goals of Iran's Ali Daei) 🌛 in September 2024, among other records in the course of the same year
On 15 June 2024, Ronaldo scored twice in 🌛 Portugal's first game of Euro 2024, a 3–0 win against Hungary in Budapest.[454] This took him to a total of 🌛 11 European Championship goals, two clear of Michel Platini, as the all-time top goalscorer in the competition's history.[455] He also 🌛 became the first player to score at five Euros,[456] and in eleven consecutive tournaments. The brace made Ronaldo the oldest 🌛 player to score two goals in a match in the competition,[457] and the oldest player to score for Portugal at 🌛 a major tournament.[458] On 23 June, he scored two penalties in Portugal's 2–2 draw with France in their final group 🌛 stage match, equalling Daei's record of 109 international goals.[459] On 27 June, Portugal were eliminated following a 1–0 loss against 🌛 Belgium in the round of 16.[460] Ronaldo finished the tournament with five goals (tied with Czech Patrik Schick) and one 🌛 assist, earning him the Golden Boot.[461]
On 1 September, Ronaldo scored two headed goals, with his second coming seconds before the 🌛 full-time whistle, in a 2–1 home win against the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup qualifier at the Estádio 🌛 Algarve, which saw him pass Ali Daei to become the sole record holder by breaking the men's international scoring record 🌛 with his 110th and 111th international goals.[462] On 9 October, he scored the opening goal in a 3–0 friendly win 🌛 over Qatar at the Estádio Algarve; with his 181st international appearance, he also overtook Sergio Ramos's record for the most 🌛 international caps received by a European player.[463][464] In the following match against Luxembourg on 12 October, also played at the 🌛 Estádio Algarve, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 win for Portugal, and became the first player to score 10 🌛 hat-tricks in men's international football.[465]
Ronaldo during a group stage game against Uruguay at the 2024 World Cup
Ronaldo was named in 🌛 Portugal's squad for the 2024 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, making it his fifth World Cup. On 24 November, in 🌛 Portugal's opening match against Ghana, Ronaldo scored a penalty kick and became the first male player to score in five 🌛 different World Cups.[466] In the last group game against South Korea, Ronaldo received criticism from his own coach for his 🌛 reaction at being substituted.[467] He was dropped from the starting line-up for Portugal's last 16 match against Switzerland, marking the 🌛 first time since Euro 2008 that he had not started a game for Portugal in a major international tournament,[468] and 🌛 the first time Portugal had started a knockout game without Ronaldo in the starting line-up at an international tournament since 🌛 Euro 2000.[469] He came off the bench late on as Portugal won 6–1, their highest tally in a World Cup 🌛 knockout game since the 1966 World Cup, with Ronaldo's replacement Gonçalo Ramos scoring a hat-trick.[470] Portugal employed the same strategy 🌛 in the quarter-finals against Morocco, with Ronaldo once again coming off the bench; in the process, he equalled Bader Al-Mutawa's 🌛 international appearance record, becoming the joint–most capped male footballer of all time, with 196 caps. Portugal lost 1–0, with Morocco 🌛 becoming the first CAF nation ever to reach the World Cup semi-finals.[471][472]
Following the World Cup, despite having his future with 🌛 the national team in doubt, after rumours of a possible omission by new manager Roberto Martínez, Ronaldo was named in 🌛 Portugal's squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.[473] On 23 March, Ronaldo scored a brace in 🌛 a 4–0 win over Liechtenstein; with his 197th international appearance, he overtook Al-Mutawa's record and became the most capped male 🌛 footballer of all time.[474] On 20 June, Ronaldo made his 200th appearance for his national team, scoring the only goal 🌛 of an away win over Iceland, in the Euro qualifiers, as he became the first player in the history of 🌛 men's international football to make 200 appearances for his country.[475] On 13 October, Ronaldo scored a brace in a 3–2 🌛 win over Slovakia, leading Portugal to qualify for Euro 2024, marking the nation's fastest qualification to a major tournament in 🌛 their history.[476]
Player profile
Style of play
A versatile attacker, Ronaldo is capable of playing on either wing as well as through the 🌛 centre of the pitch,[477] and, while ostensibly right-footed, is very strong with both feet.[478] Tactically, Ronaldo has undergone several evolutions 🌛 throughout his career. While at Sporting and during his first season at Manchester United, he was typically deployed as a 🌛 traditional winger on the right side of midfield, where he regularly looked to deliver crosses into the penalty area. In 🌛 this position, he was able to use his pace and acceleration, agility and technical skills to take on opponents in 🌛 one-on-one situations. Ronaldo became noted for his dribbling and flair, often displaying an array of tricks and feints,[479][480] such as 🌛 the step overs and so-called 'chops' that became his trademark;[481] he has also been known to use the flip-flap.[482]
Ronaldo controlling 🌛 the ball on his chest during a 2010–11 La Liga game against Almería. At his peak, he was known for 🌛 his exceptional speed and athleticism.[483]
His strength and jumping ability, combined with his elevation, heading accuracy and height of 1.87 m 🌛 (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in), give him an edge in winning aerial duels. These attributes allow him to function as a 🌛 target-man and make him an aerial goal threat in the penalty area; consequently, many of his goals have been headers.[484][485][486] 🌛 Allied with his increased stamina and work-rate, his goalscoring ability improved drastically on the left wing where he was given 🌛 the positional freedom to move into the centre to finish attacks. He has also increasingly played a creative role for 🌛 his team, often dropping deep to pick up the ball, participate in the build-up of plays and create chances for 🌛 his teammates, courtesy of his vision and passing ability.[479][484]
In his final seasons at United, Ronaldo played an even more attacking 🌛 and central role, functioning both as a striker and as a supporting forward, or even as an attacking midfielder on 🌛 occasion.[484] He developed into a prolific goalscorer, capable of finishing well both inside the penalty area and from distance with 🌛 an accurate and powerful shot, courtesy of his striking ability.[484] An accurate penalty kick taker,[487] he also became a set 🌛 piece specialist, renowned for his powerful, bending free kicks.[488] When taking free kicks, Ronaldo is known for using the knuckleball 🌛 technique, which was developed by Juninho Pernambucano.[489] He also adopts a trademark stance before striking the ball, which involves him 🌛 standing with his legs far apart.[490] Regarding Ronaldo's unique style of taking free kicks, former United assistant manager Mike Phelan 🌛 commented: "People used to put the ball down, walk away, run up and hit it. He brought in a more 🌛 dynamic showmanship. He places the ball down, the concentration level is high, he takes his certain amount of steps back 🌛 so that his standing foot is in the perfect place to hit the ball in the sweet spot. He is 🌛 the ultimate showman. He has that slight arrogance. When he pulls those shorts up and shows his thighs, he is 🌛 saying 'All eyes on me' and this is going in. He understands the marketing side of it. The way he 🌛 struts up and places it; the world is watching him."[491]
As Ronaldo entered his thirties he began to dribble less.[492]
At Real 🌛 Madrid, Ronaldo continued to play a more offensive role, while his creative and defensive duties became more limited, although not 🌛 entirely diminished.[493] Initially deployed as a centre forward by managers Manuel Pellegrini and José Mourinho, he was later moved back 🌛 onto the left wing, though in a free tactical role; this position allowed him to drift into the centre at 🌛 will to get onto the end of crosses and score, or draw out defenders with his movement off the ball 🌛 and leave space for teammates to exploit.[493][494][495] Madrid's counter-attacking style of play also allowed him to become a more efficient 🌛 and consistent player, as evidenced by his record-breaking goalscoring feats. While he mainly drew praise in the media for his 🌛 prolific goalscoring, Ronaldo also demonstrated his ability as an effective creator in this role.[496][497][498] This unique role has been described 🌛 by pundits as that of a "false", "attacking", or "goalscoring winger", as Ronaldo effectively almost functioned as a striker at 🌛 times with his central runs into the penalty area, despite actually playing on the left flank.[494][499] From 2013 onwards, under 🌛 manager Carlo Ancelotti, he effectively adapted his style to the physical effects of ageing with increasingly reduced off-the-ball movement and 🌛 general involvement, completing fewer dribbles and passes per game, and instead focusing on short-distance creating and goalscoring.[493][500][501] Since 2024, Ronaldo 🌛 adapted his style of play yet again to become more of a free-roaming centre forward under manager Zinedine Zidane, a 🌛 role in which he continued to excel and maintain a prolific goalscoring record; in this position, he earned praise in 🌛 the media for his intelligent movement both on and off the ball, positional sense, link-up play and finishing, as well 🌛 as his ability to lose or anticipate his markers, find space in the box and score from few touches or 🌛 opportunities.[502][503][504]
In his first season at Juventus, Ronaldo continued to play in a variety of different attacking roles under manager Massimiliano 🌛 Allegri, depending on whom he was partnered with. While he had occupied an increasingly offensive role in his final years 🌛 at Real Madrid, at times he functioned in a free role at Juventus, either as a lone striker or in 🌛 his trademark role on the left wing, in a 4–2–3–1 or 4–3–3 formation, in which he often switched positions with 🌛 Mario Mandžukić. In this role, he was also given licence to drop deep or even out wide onto the right 🌛 flank to receive the ball, and be more involved in the build-up of plays; as such, aside from scoring goals 🌛 himself, he began to take on opponents and create chances for other players with greater frequency than he had in 🌛 his final seasons with Real Madrid. Off the ball, he was also capable of creating space for teammates with his 🌛 movement and attacking runs into the box, or finishing off chances with his head or feet by getting onto the 🌛 end of his teammates' crosses.[505][506] On occasion he also played in an attacking partnership alongside Mandžukić in a 4–3–1–2, 4–4–2, 🌛 or 3–5–2 formation.[507][508][509] He continued to play a similar role in his second season with the club under manager Maurizio 🌛 Sarri.[506]
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"In the six years we had him, you just saw his game grow all the time, and he was a 🌛 fantastic player. Now you see the complete player. His decision-making, his maturity, his experience, plus all the great skills he 🌛 has got, they all make him the complete player." —Former manager Alex Ferguson, January 2013[510]
Ronaldo is widely regarded as one 🌛 of the two best players of his generation, alongside Lionel Messi.[511] Winning his first Ballon d'Or in 2008 by a 🌛 record-high vote count at age 23, over the next decade Ronaldo has often featured in debates concerning who is the 🌛 greatest player in history.[512] Acclaimed for his prolific and consistent goal-scoring,[513] he is considered a decisive player who is also 🌛 a game changer,[514] especially in important and high-pressured situations.[515]
Fans of Real Madrid (left; Ronaldo's then current club) and Manchester United 🌛 (right; Ronaldo's then former club as he joined United again in 2024) wearing Ronaldo's 7 shirt at the 2024 UEFA 🌛 Super Cup
Ronaldo is noted for his work ethic, elite body conditioning and dedication to improvement on the training pitch, as 🌛 well being regarded as a natural leader.[516][517] On his longevity and "extraordinary commitment to physical preparation", Adam Bate of Sky 🌛 Sports said: "Dedication is a huge part of staying at the top and Ronaldo's focus is perhaps unparalleled within the 🌛 game."[492] While stating they were stylistically different players who shared an equal desire to score goals, former Brazil international Ronaldo 🌛 praised Cristiano's approach to training, arguing that "there are so few players who take care of their body like he 🌛 does. I trained because I had to, he does it because he loves it."[518] His drive and determination to succeed 🌛 are fuelled by a desire to be talked about alongside other greats such as Pelé and Diego Maradona once retiring.[519] 🌛 He is credited, along with his compatriot, coach José Mourinho, with inspiring changing fortunes of Portuguese football in 2010s and 🌛 2024s.[520] At times, he has been criticised for simulating when tackled.[521] He was also occasionally criticised early in his career 🌛 by manager Alex Ferguson, teammates and the media for being a selfish or overly flamboyant player.[522] Jonathan Wilson of The 🌛 Guardian opined that Ronaldo had made Juventus, who he joined aged 33 in 2024, weaker, due to "his relative immobility" 🌛 in his mid-30s, even if his personal goal-scoring output remained high.[523]
During his career, Ronaldo has also been described as having 🌛 an "arrogant image" on the pitch,[524] with Ronaldo stating that he had become a "victim" because of how he was 🌛 portrayed in the media.[525] He is often seen moaning, gesticulating and scowling while trying to inspire his team to victory,[524] 🌛 with Ronaldo insisting that his competitive nature should not be mistaken for arrogance.[525] His managers, teammates and various journalists have 🌛 said that this reputation has caused an unfair image of him.[526][527][528]
Goal celebrations
Ronaldo has adopted several goal celebrations throughout his career, 🌛 including one particular celebration which gained widespread coverage in the media, when he squatted and stared directly into a camera 🌛 on the sidelines of the pitch with his hand on his chin.[529][530][531] After scoring a goal, he usually celebrates with 🌛 a "storming jump" and "turn", before "landing in spread-eagled fashion"[530] into his "signature power stance",[531] while usually simultaneously exclaiming "Sí" 🌛 (Spanish and Italian for "yes").[529][532] This trademark celebration has been dubbed the "Siu" in the media.[529][530][533]
Rivalry with Lionel Messi
Both Ronaldo 🌛 and Lionel Messi have scored in multiple UEFA Champions League finals and have regularly broken the 50-goal barrier in a 🌛 single season. Sports journalists and pundits regularly weigh the individual merits of both players in an attempt to argue who 🌛 they believe is the best player in modern football or in the history of the game.[534] It has been compared 🌛 to several sports rivalries, among them the Muhammad Ali–Joe Frazier rivalry in boxing, the Borg–McEnroe rivalry in tennis and the 🌛 Senna–Prost rivalry from Formula One motor racing.[535][536] Some commentators choose to analyse the differing physiques and playing styles of the 🌛 two.[537] Part of the debate revolves around the contrasting personalities of the two players, as Ronaldo is sometimes depicted as 🌛 an arrogant and theatrical showoff, while Messi is portrayed as a shy, humble character.[538][539][540]
"It's part of my life now. People 🌛 are bound to compare us. He tries to do his best for his club and for his national team, as 🌛 I do, and there is a degree of rivalry with both of us trying to do the best for the 🌛 teams we represent." —Ronaldo commenting on his rivalry with Messi.[541]
In a 2012 interview, Ronaldo commented on the rivalry, saying: "I 🌛 think we push each other sometimes in the competition, this is why the competition is so high."[542] Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo's 🌛 manager during his time at Manchester United, opined: "I don't think the rivalry against each other bothers them. I think 🌛 they have their own personal pride in terms of wanting to be the best."[543] Messi himself denied any rivalry, saying 🌛 that it was "only the media, the press, who wants us to be at loggerheads but I've never fought with 🌛 Cristiano."[544] Responding to the claims that he and Messi do not get on well on a personal level, Ronaldo commented: 🌛 "We don't have a relationship outside the world of football, just as we don't with a lot of other players." 🌛 Ronaldo added that in years to come he hopes they can laugh about it together, stating: "We have to look 🌛 on this rivalry with a positive spirit, because it's a good thing."[541] Representing archrivals Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two 🌛 players faced each other at least twice every season in the world's biggest club game, El Clásico, which is among 🌛 the world's most viewed annual sporting events.[545]
In a debate at Oxford Union in October 2013, when asked whether FIFA president 🌛 Sepp Blatter preferred Messi or Ronaldo, Blatter paid tribute to the work ethic of the Argentine before taking a swipe 🌛 at Ronaldo, claiming "one of them has more expenses for the hairdresser than the other." Real Madrid demanded and promptly 🌛 received a full apology. In response to Blatter's "commander" on the pitch comment, Ronaldo issued his own riposte with a 🌛 mock-salute celebration after scoring a penalty against Sevilla.[546] In August 2024, Ronaldo and Messi were interviewed while sat next to 🌛 each other prior to the announcement of the UEFA Men's Player of the Year, with Ronaldo stating: "I pushed him 🌛 and he pushed me as well. So it's good to be part of the history of football."[547]
In September 2024, Ronaldo 🌛 declared that his rivalry with Messi was over and "gone", after 36 official fixtures and 15 years of "sharing the 🌛 stage".[548] After Messi led Argentina to victory in the 2024 FIFA World Cup, a number of football critics, commentators and 🌛 players have opined that Messi has settled the debate between the two players.[549][550][551]
The Cristiano Ronaldo Museum, Museu CR7, in Funchal, 🌛 Madeira. It was opened on 15 December 2013.
As his reputation grew from his time 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,[552] soft drinks, clothing, automotive lubricants, financial services, electronics, and video games.[553][554][555][556] Ronaldo was featured as the cover 🌛 star of EA Sports' FIFA video game FIFA 18 and was heavily involved in the game's promotion.[557] His "Sii" goal 🌛 celebration features in the FIFA series, accompanied with his own voiceover.[529] He was also the face of Pro Evolution Soccer, 🌛 appearing on the covers of the 2008, 2012 and 2013 editions of the game.[558]
With earnings of €720 million (£615 million) 🌛 from 2010 to 2024, Ronaldo was ranked second in Forbes list of the decade's highest-paid athletes, behind boxer Floyd Mayweather 🌛 Jr..[559] Forbes twice ranked Ronaldo first on its list of the world's highest-paid football players; his combined income from salaries, 🌛 bonuses and endorsements wasR$73 million in 2013–14 andR$79 million in 2014–15.[560][561] The latter earnings saw him listed behind only Mayweather 🌛 on the magazine's list of The World's Highest-Paid Athletes.[562] In 2024, he became the first footballer to top the Forbes 🌛 list of highest-earning athletes, with a total income ofR$88 million from his salary and endorsements in 2024–16.[563] He topped the 🌛 list for the second straight year with earnings ofR$93 million in 2024–17.[564] He is the first footballer and only the 🌛 third sportsman to earnR$1 billion in their career.[565] Ronaldo is one of the world's most marketable sportsmen: SportsPro rated him 🌛 the fifth most marketable athlete in 2012[566] and eighth most marketable athlete in 2013, with Brazilian footballer Neymar topping both 🌛 lists.[566][567] Sports market research company Repucom named Ronaldo the most marketable and most recognised football player in the world in 🌛 May 2014.[568] He was additionally named in the 2014 Time 100, Time's annual list of the most influential people in 🌛 the world.[569] ESPN named Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete in 2024, 2024, 2024 and 2024.[570][571][572][573]
Statue of Ronaldo, in Madeira, 🌛 resembles the pose he strikes before taking free kicks.[574]
Ronaldo has established a strong online presence. The most popular sportsperson on 🌛 social media, he counted over 500 million total followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by February 2024, making him the 🌛 first person to pass half a billion followers.[575] The most-followed person on Facebook (168 million), the most-followed on Instagram (615 🌛 million) and the most-followed sportsperson on Twitter (109 million), his sponsors earnedR$936 million in media value across his accounts between 🌛 June 2024 to June 2024.[564] Ronaldo has released two mobile apps. In December 2011, he launched an iPhone game called 🌛 Heads Up with Cristiano, created by developer RockLive,[576] and in December 2013, he launched Viva Ronaldo, a dedicated social networking 🌛 website and app.[577] Computer security company McAfee produced a 2012 report ranking footballers by the probability of an internet search 🌛 for their name leading to an unsafe website, with Ronaldo's name first on the list.[578]
Ronaldo has been the subject of 🌛 several works. His autobiography, titled Moments, was published in December 2007.[579] His sponsor Castrol produced the television film Ronaldo: Tested 🌛 to the Limit, in which he was physically and mentally tested in several areas; his physical performance was consequently subject 🌛 to scrutiny by world media upon the film's release in September 2011.[537] Cristiano Ronaldo: The World at His Feet, a 🌛 documentary narrated by actor Benedict Cumberbatch, was released via Vimeo in June 2014.[580] A documentary film directed by Anthony Wonke 🌛 about his life and career, titled Ronaldo, was released on 9 November 2024.[581][582]
Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa presents Indian Prime 🌛 Minister Narendra Modi a signed Ronaldo shirt in January 2024.
Demand for a replica Ronaldo shirt has been high throughout his 🌛 career. In 2008, Ronaldo's number 7 Manchester United shirt was the best-selling Premier League sports product.[583] In 2024, Ronaldo's number 🌛 7 Real Madrid shirt was the second best-selling worldwide, after Messi's number 10 Barcelona shirt.[584] In 2024, within 24 hours 🌛 of his number 7 Juventus shirt being released, over 520,000 had been sold, withR$62.4 million generated in one day.[585]
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.[586] 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.[587] He expanded his CR7 🌛 fashion brand by launching a line of premium shirts and shoes in July 2014.[588][589] In September 2024, Ronaldo released his 🌛 own fragrance, "Legacy", in a partnership with Eden Parfums.[590]
Waxwork of Ronaldo in Madame Tussauds, London
In 2007, C.D. Nacional renamed its 🌛 youth campus Cristiano Ronaldo Campus Futebol (Cristiano Ronaldo Football Campus).[591] In December 2013, Ronaldo opened a museum, Museu CR7, in 🌛 his hometown of Funchal, Madeira, to house trophies and memorabilia;[592] the museum is an official sponsor of the local football 🌛 team União da Madeira.[593][594] At a ceremony held at the Belém Palace in January 2014, President of Portugal Aníbal Cavaco 🌛 Silva raised Ronaldo to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry "to distinguish an athlete of 🌛 world renown who has been a symbol of Portugal globally, contributing to the international projection of the country and setting 🌛 an example of tenacity for future generations."[595] A bronze statue of Ronaldo, designed by artist Ricardo Madeira Veloso, was unveiled 🌛 in Funchal on 21 December 2014.[596]
Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in Madeira. The renaming ceremony took place in March 2024.
In June 🌛 2010, during the build-up to the World Cup, Ronaldo became the fourth footballer (after Steven Gerrard, Pelé, and David Beckham) 🌛 to be represented as a waxwork at Madame Tussauds London.[597] Another waxwork of him was presented at the Madrid Wax 🌛 Museum in December 2013.[598] In June 2024, astronomers led by David Sobral from Lisbon and Leiden discovered a galaxy which 🌛 they named Cosmos Redshift 7 (CR7) in tribute to Ronaldo.[599]
On 23 July 2024, following Portugal's triumph
