Portugal and Real Madrid superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo clocked 33 years old today.
The Herald Nigeria brings you 33 quick facts about the legendary footballer.
- Cristiano was born on February 5, 1985 in Madeira, Portugal
- His full name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro but he is known by Cristiano Ronaldo
- He is named after former United States’ president, Ronald Reagan, who was his father’s favourite actor
- He is the youngest of his parents’ four children. His siblings are: older brother, Hugo, and two older sisters, Elma and Liliana Cátia
- He is 6′ 1″ (1.85 m) tall and weighs an average of 176 lbs (80 kg)
- As an eight year old, he played for Andorinha, where his dad, José Dinis Aveiro, was his kit man
- At the age of 14 years, he was expelled from school for throwing a chair at his teacher
- Ronaldo was diagnosed with a racing heart at age 15
- He played for Nacional and Sporting Lisbon before joining Manchester United in 2003
- Ronaldo helped United win three successive Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League title, and a FIFA Club World Cup
- At age 22, Ronaldo received Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations and at age 23, he won his first Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards
- In 2006, Ronaldo opened a fashion boutique under the name “CR7” (his initials and shirt number) on the island of Madeira, Portugal. Ronaldo expanded his business with a second clothes boutique in Lisbon in 2008. The stores include diamond-studded belts, jeans with leather pockets and patented buckled loafers.
- He went to Real Madrid in 2009 for £80 million as the world record signing
- Ronaldo has five Ballon D’Or awards, equal with his perceived career rival, Lionel Messi
- In Spain, Ronaldo has won 14 trophies, including two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, three Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups
- Ronaldo holds the records for most official goals scored in the top five European leagues (377)
- Ronaldo holds the records for most official goals in the UEFA Champions League (114)
- Ronaldo holds the records for most official goals in the UEFA European Championship (29)
- Ronaldo holds the records for most official goals in the FIFA Club World Cup (7)
- Ronaldo holds the records for most official goals scored in the UEFA Champions League season (17)
- Ronaldo has scored more than 600 senior career goals for club and country.
- Ronaldo is the only player to reach 30 league goals in six consecutive La Liga seasons
- He was named the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation in 2015
- He is Portugal’s most capped player of all time with over 140 caps
- He held the Guinness World Record for Most Liked Person on Facebook: 2015
- He is a Roman Catholic
- There is a museum named Museu CR7 in his hometown Funchal, Portugal, dedicated to him which contains his trophies, rare photographs, medals and lots more related to the player.
- He is Portugal’s all-time top goalscorer.
- Ronaldo was ranked the world’s highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2016 and 2017, as well as the world’s most famous athlete by ESPN in 2016 and 2017
- Ronaldo is known as a fashion icon, and is a lucrative spokesperson sought after by clothing designers, health and fitness specialists, fashion magazines, perfume and cosmetics manufacturers, hair stylists, exercise promoters, and spa and recreation companies
- He has four children: Cristiano Ronaldo Jnr (son), Alana Martina dos Santos Aveiro (daughter), Mateo Ronaldo (son), and Eva Maria dos Santos (daughter)
- His father, José Dinis Aveiro, died of an alcoholism-related liver condition at age 52 in September 2005 when Ronaldo was 20. He therefore doesn’t drink alcohol
- In 2017, Ronaldo was charged with fraudulently evading almost €15million in tax between 2011 and 2014, a claim which he denies