Who is Cristiano Ronaldo? Meet one of football's most iconic names and undisputed Man Utd legend (2024)

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time – who spent some of his finest years at Manchester United.

Ronaldo came to Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 as a young budding talent with a lot to prove.

He then left for the first time in 2009 as a god at Old Trafford, having won countless trophies, scored a ludicrous amount of goals and cemented himself in the club’s history as arguably the greatest-ever number seven for the Red Devils.

He’s a global superstar – with so much going on even outside of football. Here’s an in-depth profile on the five-time Ballon d’Or winning enigma.

Who is Cristiano Ronaldo? Meet one of football's most iconic names and undisputed Man Utd legend (1)

Cristiano Ronaldo age

As of February 27, 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo is 39 years old. He was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo height

Cristiano Ronaldo’s height is approximately 6 feet 2 inches (1.87 meters).

His imposing physical stature has allowed Ronaldo to change his game in his older years, moving to a central striker as opposed to the winger position he was known for in Manchester United’s squad.

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Cristiano Ronaldo stats

Sporting Lisbon

  • Games: 31
  • Goals: 5
  • Assists: 6

Manchester United

  • Games: 346
  • Goals: 145
  • Assists: 64

Real Madrid

  • Games: 438
  • Goals: 450
  • Assists: 131

Juventus

  • Games: 134
  • Goals: 101
  • Assists: 22

Al-Nassr FC * as of 27/02/2024

  • Games: 48
  • Goals: 42
  • Assists: 8

Portugal

  • Games: 205
  • Goals: 128
  • Assists: 46

How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored in total?

As of 27/02/2024, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a whopping 871 goals over the course of his career.

How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Portugal?

As of 27/02/2024, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 128 goals for Portugal’s national side. He is their all-time leading goalscorer.

How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the Champions League?

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a ridiculous 140 goals in 183 games in the Champions League.

Who is Cristiano Ronaldo? Meet one of football's most iconic names and undisputed Man Utd legend (2)

Cristiano Ronaldo life history

Ronaldo rose from humble beginnings to become one of the greatest footballers of all time. Growing up in a working-class family, Ronaldo displayed exceptional talent from a young age, joining Andorinha at just eight years old. He later moved to Nacional before catching the eye of Sporting Lisbon’s scouts at the age of 12.

Ronaldo’s professional career began with Sporting Lisbon in 2002, where his remarkable skills quickly gained attention. Just a year later, he signed with Manchester United, where he flourished under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson, winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008. His impressive performances earned him his first Ballon d’Or in 2008.

Off to Madrid

In 2009, Ronaldo made a record-breaking transfer to Real Madrid for £80 million, becoming the most expensive player in the world at the time. During his nine-year tenure with the Spanish giants, he shattered numerous records, including becoming Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer with 450 goals after some ludicrous goal-scoring seasons. Ronaldo won four Champions League titles with Real Madrid and clinched the Ballon d’Or four more times (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017).

In 2018, Ronaldo embarked on a new challenge by joining Juventus in Serie A, Italy’s top football league, in a €100 million transfer. He continued to excel, winning consecutive Serie A titles with the club – but decided after a couple of years to make his boldest move yet.

Back to Manchester

He then moved back to Manchester United in August 2021, who were managed by Ole Gunnar Solksjaer at the time, in a transfer that shocked the footballing world.

His second tenure at Old Trafford was not as successful, and after a fallout with Erik ten Hag, an infamous interview with Piers Morgan, and just under two more years in Manchester – Ronaldo parted ways with the Red Devils for a second time. He then found refuge in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr – where he’s still playing to this day.

Internationally, Ronaldo has been a key figure for the Portuguese national team since his debut in 2003. He has represented Portugal in multiple UEFA European Championships and FIFA World Cups, leading his team to victory in the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament, Portugal’s first major international title.

Cristiano Ronaldo net worth

As of 2024, Ronaldo has an estimated net worth of around £500 million, per TalkSport.

Cristiano Ronaldo salary

Ronaldo’s contract with Al-Nassr is reported to ensure a salary of £177million a year. That breaks down to approximately £3.4million a week.

Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United in 2003 from Sporting Lisbon, marking the beginning of his illustrious career in the Premier League. Ronaldo’s first season showcased his immense talent, though he faced criticism for inconsistency.

However, under the mentorship of Sir Alex Ferguson and alongside seasoned club legends like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney – Ronaldo flourished. He honed his skills, developed physically, and matured as a player, becoming a vital component of United’s success.

Making his mark

The 2006-2007 season was a breakout year for Ronaldo, where he truly established himself as one of the world’s best. He scored 23 league goals, won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, and helped Manchester United secure the Premier League title. Ronaldo’s crowning moment at United came in 2008 when he played a pivotal role in the Champions League triumph, scoring in the final against Chelsea and lifting the trophy.

His remarkable performances earned him numerous individual accolades, including the Ballon d’Or in 2008, solidifying his status as a global superstar before departing for Real Madrid in 2009 as one of Manchester United’s legendary players.

Ronaldo comes home

He got a dream move back to Carrington in August 2021, when he came home from Juventus. His debut couldn’t have been better, bagging a brace against Newcastle United in front of 80,000 adoring fans.

Ronaldo continued to be incredible in his first season back. He was electric under Solksjaer and was United’s main man once again.

However, sadly – after a falling out with the club and the manager, he left once again on the 22nd of November 2022, ending his time with United once and for all.

Who is Cristiano Ronaldo? Meet one of football's most iconic names and undisputed Man Utd legend (3)

Cristiano Ronaldo Al Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Riyadh-based side Al Nassr on a contract until June 2025 on the 30th of December 2022.

The Portuguese icon said he joined the Saudi Arabian club after he ‘won everything’ in Europe. He also revealed he had turned down several top clubs following an acrimonious split with Manchester United in November, instead deciding to sign a deal until 2025 with Al Nassr.

He made a winning start to life in the Saudi Pro League as he led Al Nassr to a 1-0 victory over Ettifaq in his first match, despite failing to score.

Since then, he’s been absolutely electric – scoring a ludicrous amount of goals to add to his ridiculous tally.

Cristiano Ronaldo dates joined

  • Joined Sporting Lisbon – July 1st 2002 from academy
  • Joined Manchester United – August 12th 2003 from Sporting Lisbon
  • Joined Real Madrid – July 6th 2009 from Manchester United
  • Joined Juventus – July 10th 2018 from Real Madrid
  • Joined Manchester United – November 22nd 2022 from Juventus
  • Joined Al-Nassr – January 1st 2023 from Free Agent

Cristiano Ronaldo wife

Ronaldo is not married and has never been married before. However, he is currently in a long-term relationship with Georgina Rodriguez.

The couple reportedly met in 2016 and have been together since then. Rodriguez has been a constant presence in Ronaldo’s life, accompanying him to various events and supporting him in his professional endeavors.

Rodriguez has embraced her role as a mother figure to Ronaldo’s children. Together, they have two children, a daughter named Alana Martina, born in November 2017 and Bella who was born in April 2022.

Throughout their relationship, Ronaldo and Rodriguez have maintained a relatively private personal life, choosing to share glimpses of their happiness together with fans through carefully curated social media posts and public appearances.

Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.

Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., also known as “Cristianinho,” is the eldest son of Ronaldo. He was born on June 17, 2010, in San Diego, California, United States.

Ronaldo has never publicly disclosed the identity of Cristiano Jr.’s mother, as he reportedly used a surrogate for the birth.

Cristiano Jr. is often seen accompanying his father at various events and matches, and he has become somewhat of a celebrity in his own right due to his father’s fame.

Despite growing up in the spotlight, Cristiano Jr. is shielded from excessive media attention, and Ronaldo strives to provide him with a normal childhood as much as possible.

He is trying to follow in his father’s footsteps of becoming a footballer. He has previously played for Juventus’ and Manchester United’s Academy sides – and is now featuring for Al Nassr.

Cristiano Ronaldo baby tragically dies

Rodríguezand Ronaldo announced in April 2022 thatone of their twins, a son, had died during childbirth, calling it “the greatest pain that any parents can feel” in a joint statement shared on their social media accounts. The other twin, a baby girl they named Bella, survived.

Cristiano Ronaldo Instagram

You can find Cristiano Ronaldo on Instagram under the handle – @cristiano.

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Cristiano Ronaldo

Who is Cristiano Ronaldo? Meet one of football's most iconic names and undisputed Man Utd legend (2024)
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