On February 5, 1985, a little boy named Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Madeira, Portugal, who ruled the football world by making and breaking countless records.
Ronaldo made his professional debut with the Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon in 2003 at the age of 16, fast forward to 2024, 21 years later he is still ruling the world of football.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner ends 2023 as the top scorer with 54 goals, ahead of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Harry Kane.
On Ronaldo’s 39th birthday, here are some surprising facts about the European champion.
Interest from Liverpool, Arsenal
Cristiano Ronaldo announced himself to the world during a pre-season friendly with Manchester United in 2003, which ultimately saw him leave just days later. However, there was a strong interest from Liverpool and Arsenal for the Portuguese prodigy. The Reds manager admitted he could not sign Ronaldo due to wage demands.
CR7 Galaxy
In 2015, a group of astronomers led by David Sobral discovered a galaxy, naming it Cosmos Redshift 7, CR7, short for Ronaldo. The researchers confirmed that the naming of the galaxy was not a coincidence but named it after the Portuguese.
Course in University
A university in Canada, the University of British Columbia Okanagan, began offering a course on the life of Cristiano Ronaldo to its sociology students in 2015.
Cristiano Ronaldo Airport
In 2016, the Portuguese government announced that they were renaming Madeira Airport to Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport. And in 2017, the rebranded terminal was officially unveiled.
Sold the Ballon d’Or for charity
Ronaldo is one of the few footballers in the world who neither has a tattoo nor drinks, due to his involvement in social work and blood donation programs. Similarly, he is a well-known philanthropist. In 2017, the Portuguese sold a replica of one of their Ballons d’Or to donate £600,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
In addition, Ronaldo is the player with the most international caps (205) while also scoring 128 goals for Portugal. He is also the top scorer (140) in the UEFA Champions League.
It is worth noting that Ronaldo has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world like Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus where he made history and became a legend in a short span of time.
Ronaldo played 438 matches with Madrid where he scored 450 goals, a record that is likely to remain unbeaten, and provided 131 assists.
In his two spells with Man United, the forward scored 145 goals and provided 64 assists.
In his 21-year-long career, Ronaldo also won the Ballon d’Or five times and the UEFA Champions League several times.
Global icon:
Ronaldo’s fame extends beyond the world of football. He is a global icon and one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet. His influence extends far beyond the pitch, with a massive following on social media and numerous commercial endorsements with top brands.
