Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved a remarkable milestone as the first team sports athlete to surpass a net worth of one billion dollars. The Portuguese icon, who captains his national team, is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history, and rightfully so.
Praised for his extraordinary accuracy in scoring, exceptional footwork, impressive aerial abilities, incredible speed, unmatched work ethic, and on-field dominance, Ronaldo continues to perform like a “freak of nature,” as FIFA once aptly described him. His exceptional on-field prowess has made him a globally recognized figure.
Yet, it’s not just his footballing success that stands out but also his remarkable journey from humble beginnings to immense wealth. Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal, the capital of Madeira, Portugal, into a challenging upbringing. Despite these circumstances, his passion for football remained unwavering.
After a brief period with youth clubs, Ronaldo made his senior debut with Sporting Clube de Portugal in Lisbon in 2002 at the age of 16, becoming the first player in the club’s history to feature in the under-16, under-17, under-18, B team, and first team all in one season.
His life took a transformative turn when legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson recognized his footballing talent. Ronaldo was swiftly acquired for approximately $19 million by Ferguson to play for Manchester United, often referred to as Man United and famously known as the Red Devils. Over six seasons from 2003 to 2009, Ronaldo became an international football superstar.
In 2009, he made a record-breaking transfer to La Liga club Real Madrid for $96 million. Ronaldo continued to deliver outstanding performances for the Spanish side, spending nine seasons there until 2018.
At the age of 33, he embarked on a new chapter in Italy, joining Serie A club Juventus for $100 million—the most expensive transfer for both the club and a player above 30 years old. After three seasons, he returned to Manchester United in August 2021, signing an initial two-year contract for a fee of $17.7 million and additional add-ons.
However, Ronaldo’s relationship with Manchester United soured when he criticized the club, its players, and manager Erik Ten Hag in a revealing two-part interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022. Consequently, the club and Ronaldo mutually agreed to terminate his contract in November 2022.
Ronaldo has amassed an impressive list of achievements in his career, including seven league cups. His league title win with Juventus in 2019 made him the first footballer in history to secure league cups in the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A. He has also claimed three UEFA Super Cup titles, four FIFA Club World Cup trophies, five UEFA Champions League titles, and numerous other honors with the clubs he has represented. Additionally, he captained Portugal to victory in the 2016 Euro Cup and has his sights set on the FIFA World Cup in 2022 in Qatar.
Throughout his career, Ronaldo has been frequently compared to Argentine great Lionel Messi, who held the title of the world’s richest athlete in 2022 according to Forbes. While Messi boasts seven Ballon d’Or awards, Ronaldo has won five. However, Ronaldo leads in terms of footballing records, including total goals scored, with over 800 goals for club and country.
On a personal note, Ronaldo and his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, are parents to two children, and he has three other children born to surrogate mothers, including his eldest son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.
Ronaldo has been named the world’s highest-paid athlete twice by Forbes, first in 2016 and again in 2017. In 2020, he was ranked fourth on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest athletes, with earnings of $105 million before taxes. His income pushed him into the exclusive club of billion-dollar athletes, with a net worth surpassing $1 billion, making him the third active athlete, after Tiger Woods and Floyd Mayweather, and the first in a team sport to achieve this distinction.
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