Cristiano Ronaldo is described as the hardest working man on the field by fans and other great footballers alike. Read about the journey of this island boy who became a world-class athlete and Cristiano Ronaldo net worth.
Crybaby. That was Cristiano Ronaldo’s boyhood nickname for always bawling in tears each time his team lost. A trait that he carried even after he had joined the pro-leagues. But instead of criticism, people around him would smile and promise to win next time.
Much like Barcelona grooming their Argentinian prodigy Lionel Messi, Manchester United signed Ronaldo at a very young age after witnessing his potential as a footballer. At 23, he proved his worth by winning the Ballon d’Or in 2008.
To date, he won five Ballon d’Or awards and four European Golden Shoes for being the top scorer in league matches. Ronaldo is also one of the few soccer players who have made over 1,100 career appearances and at least 800 official senior career goals for club and country.
Cristiano Ronaldo net worth is $500 million in the current year.
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Cristiano Ronaldo – Short Bio
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on the 5th of February, 1985, in Santo Antonio, Funchal, the island of Madeira, Portugal. He was the fourth and youngest child of Maria Dolores and José Dinis Aveiro, a humble couple who worked as a cook and a gardener.
The place where Cristiano and his siblings were raised was quite impoverished. The four huddled in a small room under a roof that barely protected them when it rained.
The lack of earning opportunities plagued the area resulting in children like Cristiano often experiencing hunger. But despite their very limited situation, the Aveiros were a tight-knit family that supported each other and worked together to make their lives a little better.
Young Cristiano would go around the neighborhood, nicking a fruit or two from a garden he came across to have enough energy to explore the sloping, wet streets of San Antonio. But then, during one of his adventures, little Cristiano comes across an old, beat-up soccer ball.
He took the ball to a small area with a crackly wall and started practicing his kicks with the ragged little thing. Those who walked past him playing with the ball probably never looked at him twice. Who would have thought that same boy would become a star?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Career
The rags to riches story within the sport are not uncommon. The great Pelé himself first nurtured his skills with a sock stuffed with rags and the undeniable support of his family. Cristiano looked up to the Brazilian soccer star for inspiration and technique.
Amateur Years with Andorinha and Nacional
At age eight, Cristiano joined the local amateur football club, Andorinha. At first, the skinny boy running around the field didn’t seem much to look at, but as time went by, Cristiano’s name started to echo within the amateur league as a potential world-class footballer.
He learned everything he could while playing for Andorinha. After almost three years, Cristiano joined Nacional, where he exponentially grew within the two years he was there.
Scouts actively go around, checking out every talented child from around age ten. According to professional headhunters, it is not enough that a person knows how to kick a ball or make a goal. The most important factor was natural talent and passion for sticking with the game.
Sporting CP and the Youth Academy
Cristiano went for a three-day trial with Sporting CP, a well-decorated and respected club based in Lisbon, also known as one of The Big Three football clubs in Portugal.
And by the end of his trial, Sporting CP signed twelve-year-old Ronaldo for €1,500 (around $1,600). So from their home in Madeira, Cristiano’s family moved to the municipality of Alcohete, near Lisbon.
Cristiano understood the rare opportunity he was given, but he was still a child. He was prone to stress that came with the sudden change of environment. He was bullied for his strange accent and got in trouble after throwing a chair at an instructor for “disrespecting him.”
After that, Cristiano resented school. His explosive emotion became an imminent danger to the condition he was diagnosed with, tachycardia.
Tachycardia is a kind of heart arrhythmia that makes the heartbeat at a much faster rate. Young as he may be, Cristiano’s life depended heavily on football, but strenuous activities with his condition can ultimately lead to cardiac arrest, which is life-threatening.
The only solution for Cristiano was surgery, and fortunately, his parents didn’t even bat an eye. The procedure was expensive, but nothing was worth more than their son’s life.
A few days after his surgery, fifteen-year-old Cristiano was back into training after spending a few days recovering from his surgery.
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Manchester United Pays £12.24 Million
Cristiano was in perfect health and top shape. At sixteen, he was the first player ever promoted by the first-team manager to five different divisions, from under 16 to first team, all within a single season. Their consistent victories led them face to face with the Red Devils.
The fine lads of Old Trafford, the Red Devils of Manchester United, were more excited and ecstatic about recruiting Ronaldo than disappointed that a seventeen-year-old midfielder led their loss. The whole team hounded their manager, Alex Ferguson, to speed up the process.
Right after the game, Alex Ferguson committed to spending £12.24 million on the most exciting young player he had ever seen and, at the time, the most expensive teenager in the history of English football. And by August 12, 2003, Ronaldo’s transfer was complete.
Cristiano Ronaldo Plays for Manchester United: 2003 to 2007
Cristiano Ronaldo entered the field wearing jersey number 7 for Man Utd (Manchester United). He debuted in the Premier League on 16 August 2003, carrying the same number worn by some of the best football players, namely George Best, Eric Cantona, and David Beckham.
Cristiano’s first score was a free-kick win of 3-0 against Portsmouth. He ended his first season in English football by scoring the opening goal against Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup final. The game was also a 3-0 win in favor of Man Utd, where he received his first trophy.
After signing a contract extension from two years to 2010, Cristiano made a complete show of the game by scoring two goals against Arsenal, United’s strongest rival, for season 2004-05.
2007 to 2008 Notable Achievements
- Scoring twice against Roma out of the 7-1 win during the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League.
- Became a key figure for Manchester United reaching the 2007 FA Cup Final to face Chelsea resulting in a tight game of 1-0 loss.
- Received the Player’s Player(2007 and ‘08), Fans’ Player (2007), and Young Player of the Year (2007) awards from the Professional Footballers’ Association.
- Awarded Footballer of the Year(2007 and ‘08) by the Football Writers’ Association.
- Came in second to Kaka for the 2007 Ballon d’Or award.
- Came in 3rd in the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year award, with Milan’s Kaka topping the list and Barca’s Messi claiming second.
- Scored against Newcastle with his first hat-trick in 2008.
- Received the Premier League Golden Boot for season 2007-2008.
- First midfield man to receive the European Golden Shoe – Premier League season 2007-’08.
- Became the Champions League Top Scorer.
- Presented with his first Ballon d’Or in 2008.
And, of course, these awards didn’t just happen one time. As his career pressed on, Cristiano was a recipient of the Ballon d’Or, an award given to only the best amongst the best soccer players in the world, five times. And we may see more to come since Ronaldo is far from done with his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Highlights with Real Madrid
Cristiano took the transfer window to Real Madrid and entered season 2009-10 with the team. The said transfer notes the record high fee of £80 million for a soccer player.
Wearing the number 9 jersey, Cristiano made his La Liga debut, scoring a penalty kick against Deportivo La Coruña in a 3-2 win. He made a mark on his first Champions League with two free-kicks against Zurich. He also received his first red card in Spain in a match against Almería.
Cristiano ended the season with a total of 33 goals scored. He also received another nomination for Ballon d’Or and 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year, placing second to Messi in both awards.
For season 2010-’11, Cristiano received his second Ballon d’Or award for scoring four out of the 6-1 victory result versus Racing Santander. He also scored the match-winning goal in the 2011 Copa del Rey Final against Barcelona during the series of four Clasicos in April of 2011.
For season 2012-’13, Cristiano became a key figure that led Real Madrid to another trophy from Spain in the 2012 Supercopa de España.
He also became the first non-Spanish captain of Real Madrid. He was praised for properly guiding his members, particularly newcomer Gareth Bale whom Cristiano took under his wing. Forming an attacking trio with Karim Benzema, they became a force to deal with during the matches at Camp Nou.
Summing up his overall performance in season 2014-’15 and leading the Portuguese National Team through the 2014 FIFA World Cup, he was front and center for Ballon d’Or.
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Cristiano Ronaldo Joins Juventus: 2018 – 2021
Despite his tremendous contribution to victories, the soccer star chose to leave Real Madrid after months of failed negotiations for a new contract. Ronaldo joined Juventus after completing the £85.5 million transfer fee.
No one thought his three short years with the Italian club would be noted as anything shorter than “great.” It was even deemed a mistake by some because of Ronaldo’s lack of achievements earned for the team. And of course, many argued that Juventus’ was too high.
They couldn’t have possibly expected Ronaldo to win matches by himself despite Cristiano’s mind-blowing performance during the second leg comeback against Atletico Madrid in March 2019. And there were claims that Ronaldo was very difficult to accommodate.
The club saw their results as underwhelming, blaming Ronaldo and his exuberant wages. But no one highlighted that the team had been a mess for some years due to mismanagement, and the members were left to claw at each other for personal gain.
Ronaldo’s accomplishments have always been a 50/50 split between his capacity as an exemplary player and that everyone pushes forth with solid teamwork.
Quoting an article Forbes published, Ronaldo has more than given back to Juventus. His effect after becoming a member was almost immediate. Juventus received numerous contract renewals from big sponsors like Adidas and Jeep, amounting to millions.
Their social media presence went up five million within 24 hours of acquiring the former Manchester United superstar. Juventus’ revenue spiked by some $68.4 million, doubling the sum from the previous year, within Ronaldo’s first season with the said Italian football club.
Cristiano Ronaldo Comes Home to Manchester United
By August of 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo finally returns to Manchester United. Like when he first astounded the team as an 18-year-old prodigy, former teammates and Alex Ferguson led the negotiations to re-sign the then 36-year-old, multi-awarded soccer veteran.
Spectators cheered upon seeing Cristiano entering the field, wearing the logo of Manchester United with the iconic number 7 printed on his back.
And like clockwork, Ronaldo ended his second debut for United by scoring the opening two goals in a 4–1 league victory against Newcastle United. He also scored twice in a 3–2 home league win against Arsenal and scored a hat-trick in a 3–2 victory against Tottenham.
And the rest to follow is history still in the making.
Cristiano Ronaldo Net Worth – Frequently Asked Questions
How Much is Cristiano Ronaldo Net Worth?
Cristiano Ronaldo net worth is reported at $500 million, ahead by $50 million compared to former Barca and now Paris SG striker Lionel Messi.
Is Ronaldo a Millionaire or a Billionaire?
Cristiano Ronaldo net worth puts him halfway through the billionaire’s list with $500 million in his name, but he has surpassed the $1 billion in career earnings as of 2021. His immense fame and unrelenting skills maintain the support of global giants like Nike and Armani.
How Much Does Nike Pay Ronaldo?
Cristiano Ronaldo signed a lifetime deal with Nike in 2016 that pays the Portuguese superstar $20 million annually. So we can all be sure that Cristiano Ronaldo net worth may be well on its way to going up another digit by the next few years.
Who is the Highest-Paid Footballer in the World?
An athlete’s annual income comes in two parts, first the actual salary from their respective teams, and secondly, what they receive from endorsements and sponsors.
The highest-paid footballer is Cristiano Ronaldo who is set to earn $125 million for the current season. He signed a $70 million contract with United and $55 million from endorsements.
Lionel Messi of Paris Sain-Germain takes the second spot with an annual salary of $75 million and another $35 million from endorsement.
And from the same team, Neymar is named third on the list with also a $75 million annual salary from PSG and an additional $20 million from endorsement.
Cristiano Ronaldo Net Worth – Final Thoughts
Despite the huge difference in salaries, the boy from Portugal is described as “a walking billboard.” A big portion of Cristiano Ronaldo net worth is due to him being, by far, the highest-earning football player in terms of sponsorship deals and frequent bonuses.
Do you believe in divine intervention? Many believed that Ronaldo had his while wandering the streets in the island city of Madeira and randomly finding a dirty, old soccer ball. That toy has long retired and been replaced.
But what’s even more amazing is the hope he presented for the younger generation. His success reinvigorated his humble home in Madeira and became a shining reminder to the rest of the world that the legacy will continue after the greats like Pele, Messi, and him.
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