What is Cristiano Ronaldo’s Net Worth?
Net Worth | $500 Million |
Source of Wealth | Professional Football, Brand Endorsements |
Date of Birth | February 5, 1985 |
Nationality | Portuguese |
Height | 6’2 / 187 cm |
Place of Birth | Funchal, Portugal |
Star Sign | Aquarius |
Religion | Christianity |
Marital Status | Georgina Rodríguez |
The Usual Intro
Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese football player who currently plays as a forward for Manchester United. Widely regarded as one of the best football players of all time, Ronaldo has shown tremendous talent and skill throughout his career. He has amassed hundreds of goals, victories, trophies, and a huge fan base all over the world.
He is also one of three sportsmen to ever make $1 billion from their career and was listed as Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2014.
Before the Spotlight
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Portugal. He belonged to a lower-class family and his mother reportedly worked two jobs. His father was a gardener and an alcoholic. He has one brother and two sisters.
Ronaldo’s father worked as an equipment manager for a local football club, Andorinha, which helped Ronaldo get football training as a child. At the age of 15, Ronaldo was diagnosed with a rare heart condition known as tachycardia which accelerates the heart rate. He underwent surgery and was sidelined for a while, but returned to the pitch a few months later.
Ronaldo was an extremely talented footballer from a young age and decided to drop out of school at 14 to join Sporting CP.
The Journey to Success
Ronaldo’s professional football career began with Sporting CP in 2002, but he signed with Manchester United just a year later. He made his debut as a substitute in a game that ended up as a 4-0 win against Bolton Wanderers.
Ronaldo became an instant sensation in the football world after having his best season in 2007-2008 and earning the ‘Golden Boot’ award for scoring 42 goals. Later that year, he won the ‘FIFA World Player of the Year’ or Ballon d’Or trophy. He also led Manchester United to victory in the UEFA Champions League tournament in that same year.
In 2009, Ronaldo signed with Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of £80 million. He became Madrid’s top goal-scorer of all time in 2016. Ronaldo won 4 more Ballon d’Ors during his time at the club. In 2018, Ronaldo ended his contract with Madrid to join Juventus for a transfer fee of £112 million, where he remained until 2021. He won his 6th Ballon d’Or in 2020.
He currently plays for Manchester United under a contract that will last until 2023. Ronaldo is officially the highest goal scorer in football history as of 2022.
On top of his success in football, his acronym ‘CR7’ has been affiliated with big names such as Nike. He also runs his own undergarment and fashion businesses under the same acronym.
The Best Moments
- Joined Premier League club Manchester United in 2003.
- Signed with Real Madrid for a world record transfer fee in 2009.
- Named as the Best Portuguese footballer of all time in 2015.
- First football player to earn $1 billion in their career in 2021.
- Became the highest goal scorer in football history in 2022.
- Won six Ballon d’Or awards as of 2022.
The Private Side
Ronaldo has five children — two sons and three daughters. He started dating model Georgina Rodriguez in 2017; the couple had their first daughter that same year. In May 2022, Georgina gave birth to twins. Unfortunately, the male twin died during childbirth. As of yet, Ronaldo and Georgina are unmarried but in a close relationship.
Ronaldo’s father passed away due to liver failure when he was 20 years old. Ronaldo does not drink and has zero tattoos on his body. He often makes donations to charitable organizations and has paid millions of dollars to healthcare providers.
In 2013, he was appointed as the Global Artist Ambassador of the organization “Save the Children.” He has donated to countries experiencing natural disasters on multiple occasions. In 2015, Ronaldo was named the ‘Most Charitable Person of the Year’ after he donated £5 million to victims of an earthquake in Nepal.
Ronaldo made news for evading almost £15 million in taxes between 2011 and 2014. He was charged with tax fraud in 2017 and had to serve two years in probation and pay a £16.8 million fine.
Ronaldo has also faced rape allegations on multiple occasions in the past, but none has ever been proved. In 2005, two women who accused Ronaldo of rape withdrew their statements due to lack of evidence. In 2022, another woman’s rape lawsuit against Ronaldo was dismissed due to prejudice.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Related YouTube Video
Famous Quotes of Cristiano Ronaldo
Being one of the most influential people in the world, here are inspirational quotes from Cristiano Ronaldo:
- “Talent without working hard is nothing.”
- “I’ve never tried to hide the fact that it is my intention to become the best.”
- “To be honest, there are no problems between me and Messi. People have their own opinions about who they think is the better player. It is what it is, but there is no rivalry beyond games and what happens on the pitch.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Here are some success lessons we can learn from Ronaldo’s character and career:
- Dedication. It is reported that Ronaldo used to train with weights tied to his legs so he could become quicker at dribbling. He also didn’t attend his father’s funeral due to an upcoming football match.
- Confidence. Ronaldo is always pushing to be the best footballer of all time and is constantly seen testing his limits.
- Kindness. Ronaldo has donated a considerable portion of his money to charities. He also doesn’t have tattoos because he donates blood and bone marrow.
- Hard work. Many teammates have reported that Ronaldo is the first one to arrive and the last person to leave training. He constantly attributes his success to hard work.
The Unusual Stuff
Some interesting facts about Ronaldo you might not have known before:
- Ronaldo’s mother stated that she intended to abort Ronaldo due to his father’s alcoholism and poverty.
- Ronaldo owns a luxurious car collection, which includes a $9 million Bugatti Centodieci and a $19 million Bugatti La Voiture Noire.
- Ronaldo has played over 1,100 official matches in his career.
- Ronaldo was named after Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States.
Answering Frequent Questions
Did Ronaldo have surgery?
Ronaldo had surgery for tachycardia, a condition that causes abnormal rapid beating of the heart at age 15.
Is Ronaldo the best football player in the world?
Ronaldo is compared with Lionel Messi as the best footballer in the world. He currently has more goals and appearances than Messi, but both possess exceptional skill and talent. There is a lot of subjectivity involved in this debate since there isn’t one metric that can be used to entitle a football player as the best.
What happened to Ronaldo’s twins?
Ronaldo announced the birth of twins with Georgina Rodriguez on April 18, 2022. Unfortunately, the male twin died during childbirth.
The Closing Remarks
Ronaldo grew up in a poor household. However, by using a combination of genetic talent and persistent hard work, he secured his position at the top of his profession. He serves as an inspiration for young, up-and-coming football players all over the world today.
Featured image credit: Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock.com