Cristiano Ronaldo is a professional football player from Portugal, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He has had a highly successful career spanning over two decades, during which he has won numerous individual awards and helped his club and country achieve many significant victories. Ogunwatch in this piece details his spell from Sporting Lisbon to Real Madrid to Saudi club Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo began his career playing for the youth teams at Andorinha and Nacional, before moving to Sporting CP, a top-flight Portuguese club, in 2002. He quickly impressed with his skills and speed, attracting the attention of Manchester United, a top English club, which signed him in 2003 for a record transfer fee for a teenager at the time.
At Manchester United, Ronaldo established himself as one of the best players in the world, winning three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one UEFA Champions League, and one FIFA Club World Cup. In 2008, he was awarded the Ballon d’Or, the first of five he would go on to win in his career.
In 2009, Ronaldo transferred to Real Madrid, one of the most prestigious football clubs in the world, for a then-world-record transfer fee. He continued his exceptional form at Real Madrid, winning numerous titles including four UEFA Champions League titles, two La Liga titles, and three FIFA Club World Cups. He also won four more Ballon d’Or awards, making him the second player with the most Ballon d’Ors in history, tied with Lionel Messi.
In 2018, Ronaldo transferred to Juventus, one of Italy’s top football clubs, where he has continued to play at the time of writing. With Juventus, he has won two Serie A titles and one Italian Super Cup. Early in 2023, Saudi Professional League (SPL) club Al Nassr announced on social media that they had signed Cristiano Ronaldo on a two-and-a-half-year contract, reportedly worth more than $200m a year.
Ronaldo has also had a highly successful international career, representing the Portuguese national team since 2003. He has won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016, and has been awarded the European Golden Shoe four times.
Overall, Ronaldo’s career has been marked by consistent excellence, with numerous individual and team accomplishments. He has been praised for his exceptional athleticism, skill, and dedication to the sport, and is widely considered one of the best football players of all time.
Ronaldo in Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a total of 118 goals for Manchester United during his six-year stint at the club from 2003 to 2009. He was a prolific scorer during his time at United and was instrumental in the team’s success, helping them win three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one UEFA Champions League, and one FIFA Club World Cup. Ronaldo’s impressive performances at United also earned him his first Ballon d’Or award in 2008.
Ronaldo in Real Madrid
During his time at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo scored an astonishing 450 goals in 438 appearances across all competitions. He was the club’s all-time leading scorer until his departure in 2018, and he broke numerous scoring records during his time there.
Ronaldo won numerous individual and team awards during his time at Real Madrid, including:
- Four UEFA Champions League titles (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)
- Two La Liga titles (2012, 2017)
- Three FIFA Club World Cups (2014, 2016, 2017)
- Two Copa del Rey titles (2011, 2014)
- Four Ballon d’Or awards (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
Ronaldo’s performances at Real Madrid were consistently exceptional, and he established himself as one of the greatest players of all time during his time there. His goalscoring record at the club was truly remarkable, and he was instrumental in helping Real Madrid achieve success both domestically and in Europe.
Ronaldo in Juventus
Since joining Juventus in 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo has continued to perform at a high level and has helped the club achieve success both domestically and in Europe. Some of his notable achievements at Juventus include:
- Winning the Serie A title in his first two seasons with the club (2018-19 and 2019-20)
- Winning the Italian Super Cup in 2018 and 2019
- Scoring 101 goals in 134 appearances across all competitions as of my knowledge cutoff of September 2021
While Ronaldo’s time at Juventus has not been as long as his spells at Manchester United or Real Madrid, he has still made a significant impact at the club and has continued to demonstrate his exceptional skill and goalscoring ability.
