Cristiano Ronaldo has been described by many as one of the best soccer players in the world, hands down. Hailing from Madeira, Portugal, he began playing soccer at a young age and seemed to have a natural talent for the sport.
After playing soccer in his early career in Portugal, he first signed a professional contract with Manchester United in 2003. Since then, he has taken the soccer world by storm playing for leagues such as Real Madrid, and Juventus, before returning to Manchester United.
Want to learn some interesting facts about Cristiano Ronaldo? Keep reading to discover more!
Cristiano Ronaldo was Named After Ronald Reagan
Ronaldo was born in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal on February 5, 1985, to his mother, Maria Delores dos Santos, and his father, Jose Dinis Aveiro. His full name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro.
It has been reported that his father, Jose, was a huge fan of Ronald Reagan and his former acting career. His father chose Ronaldo as the soccer player’s second name in honor of the former U.S. President.
Where is Cristiano Ronaldo From?
This world-renowned soccer player was born and raised in Madeira, Portugal with his mother, who was a cook, and his father, who was a gardener. He is the youngest of four children born into this family who struggled to make ends meet.
Although his mother was a cook when he was a child, she has since written a book, “Mother Courage,” where she outlines how things were as a young family. She even mentioned in the book that she floated the idea of aborting her pregnancy with Cristiano since they were in such dire circumstances.
How Tall is Cristiano Ronaldo?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s height has been the subject of many conversations over the years, contributing to his ability to jump high and run fast. He is known to be one of the fastest players on the field, along with his unique ability to jump higher than many NBA players.
At 6”1’ in height, many say it is the reason he is the machine, or “Maquina,” as a forward on the field. He is not only fast on the field but is said to be able to jump to about 30 inches off the ground when he goes for a powerful header to score.
How Old is Cristiano Ronaldo?
Currently, in 2022, he is 37 years old, and this world-famous soccer player started the sport at a young age and has not slowed down since. With only a few minor setbacks in his career, he continues to soar to greater heights on and off the field.
Throughout his career, his success in his sport has brought him many advantages in his near 40 years. He is said to be one of the wealthiest soccer players in the world, owning several homes, cars, and much more.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Family life
Although his early life was met with poverty, struggle, and heartbreak, Ronaldo soared on the soccer field to reach new heights. This extended to his personal life as well as he has built his own family throughout his time on the field.
While he has been in a relationship with model Georgina Rodriguez since 2016, she is not legally Cristiano Ronaldo’s wife. They have been partners since their meeting when she was working for Gucci.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s kids may not have come the traditional way, but he is said to be a great father. Cristiano Ronaldo Jr is the oldest, followed by several others through surrogacy and his relationship with Rodriguez. The couple currently is raising their mixed family of six children together.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Net Worth
Ronaldo has not just made himself famous for his prowess on the soccer field but also for reaching and surpassing various goals and records throughout his career. For example, his current net worth is said to be more than $1 billion.
This makes him the first and one of the only professional athletes to surpass the billion-dollar mark in his net revenue. This net worth has come from various sources, such as his soccer wins and endorsements throughout his career.
With his net worth, he is said to own at least eight homes and is currently building an estate that will be used for his retirement when the time comes.
The Lucky Number 7
Cristiano Ronaldo’s jersey number 7 is said to have made its debut for him with he originally joined the Manchester United team. Formerly worn by soccer greats such as David Beckham and George Best, he was convinced to don the jersey number himself.
Years later, he is now known by the world of soccer as CR7, Cristiano Ronaldo 7, as well as other nicknames.
Although when he made the move to Real Madrid’s soccer team, he had to give up his number 7 for a while since it was already being used by soccer great, Raul. However, once Raul left the game, Ronaldo was given the honor of donning the number again.
Cristiano Ronaldo Opened a Museum in His Honor
The CR7 Museu is a museum that the soccer player himself created as a way to display his trophies and other memorabilia. Opened in 2013 in his hometown of Madeira, Portugal, he has every trophy he has ever won on display.
This includes the very first ones that he won when he was a young player in Portugal, the oldest one being from when he was just eight years old.
He is a Philanthropist
Even though it is said that Cristiano Ronaldo has a huge ego, especially since he opened a museum in his honor, he is also a kind and generous person. This has become evident over the years with the many ways he has given back to the community and people around the world.
One of the most well-known events was when he paid in total for a 10-month-old’s brain surgery when he was only asked to donate his boots for an auction. In addition to this event, Ronaldo has also paid for treatments for other children who had cancer and other ailments.
When his mother developed cancer, he also funded a cancer center with more than $150,000 to help with her treatments.
