Ronaldo, Cristiano << roo NAHL doh, kree stee AH noh >> (1985-…), a Portuguese soccer star, is one of the greatest players in the world. Soccer is called football in much of the world. Ronaldo, a forward and midfielder, gained international fame for his speed, his accuracy shooting with either foot, and his exciting playing style. In 2008, Ronaldo was named World Player of the Year by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the governing body of international soccer. Also in 2008, he received the Ballon d’Or (Golden Ball) award as the world’s most outstanding player. He won the Ballon d’Or again in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017. In 2021, Ronaldo set the men’s record for most career international goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on the island of Madeira on Feb. 5, 1985. Madeira is one of the Madeira Islands, which lie off the northwest coast of Africa and belong to Portugal. He began playing amateur soccer at the age of 8. In 2002-2003, he played for the Sporting Club of Portugal, a major Portuguese team.
From 2003 to 2009, Ronaldo played for Manchester United in England’s Premier League, the top professional soccer league in England. In 2008, he helped the team win three championships: the Premier League title, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League title, and the FIFA Club World Cup. In 2009, Ronaldo left Manchester United to play for Real Madrid in La Liga, the top league in Spanish football. During the 2010-2011 season, Ronaldo set a team scoring record of 53 goals and a La Liga record of 40 goals. With Ronaldo, Real Madrid won La Liga in 2012 and 2017, the Club World Cup in 2014, and the Champions League in 2014 and 2016.
Ronaldo played for Portugal in the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments. In 2022, he became the first person to score goals in five World Cup tournaments. In 2016, Ronaldo helped Portugal win its first UEFA European Championship. From 2018 to 2021, Ronaldo played for Juventus FC in Turin, Italy. He helped Juventus win Serie A, the top Italian league, in 2019 and 2020. Ronaldo played for Manchester United again in 2021 and 2022. In December 2022, he signed with Al Nassr, a club in Saudi Arabia.
