Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Cristiano Ronaldo
How Cristiano Ronaldo built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Cristiano Ronaldo, often nicknamed CR7, is a Portuguese professional footballer recognized as one of the greatest players in history. He currently plays for and captains Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team. His numerous individual accolades include five Ballon d'Ors, a record three UEFA Men's Player of the Year Awards, and four European Golden Shoes. Throughout his career, he has won 34 trophies, including five UEFA Champions Leagues and a UEFA European Championship. Ronaldo holds records for most Champions League goals and assists, European Championship goals and assists, international appearances, and international goals. He's the only player to score 100 goals with four different clubs and is the all-time top goalscorer with over 900 senior career goals.
1997: Signs with Sporting CP
In 1997, at the age of 12, Cristiano Ronaldo signed with Sporting CP after a three-day trial.
August 2002: First Official Match for Sporting CP
On 14 August 2002, at the age of 17, Cristiano Ronaldo played his first official match for Sporting CP's first team in a UEFA Champions League qualifying round against Inter Milan.
August 2003: Signing with Manchester United
On 12 August 2003, Manchester United signed Cristiano Ronaldo for £12 million.
August 2003: Manchester United's Interest After Sporting Defeat
On 6 August 2003, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was determined to acquire Ronaldo after Sporting defeated United 3–1. The United players urged Ferguson to sign Ronaldo.
2003: Signing with Manchester United
In 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo signed with Manchester United, where he became a star player.
2003: International Debut for Portugal
In 2003, at the age of 18, Cristiano Ronaldo made his international debut for Portugal.
May 2004: FA Cup Final Victory
On 15 May 2004, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opening goal in United's 3–0 win over Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup Final.
2004: Strong Performance and League Cup Win
At the start of 2005, Cristiano Ronaldo played two of his best matches of the 2004–05 season against Aston Villa and Arsenal. He also won the Football League Cup after scoring in the final.
2004: Ronaldo aids Aceh tsunami relief
Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Cristiano Ronaldo visited Aceh, Indonesia, after seeing a survivor wearing a Portuguese football shirt, to raise funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction.
2005: Strong Performance and League Cup Win
At the start of 2005, Cristiano Ronaldo played two of his best matches of the 2004–05 season against Aston Villa and Arsenal. He also won the Football League Cup after scoring in the final.
2006: Ronaldo opens CR7 fashion boutique
In 2006, Cristiano Ronaldo opened a fashion boutique under the name CR7 (his initials and shirt number) on the island of Madeira.
2006: 2006 FIFA World Cup
In the 2006 FIFA World Cup, at the age of 21 years and 132 days, Ronaldo became the youngest ever goalscorer for Portugal at a World Cup finals. Portugal reached the semi-finals, where Portugal lost to France. FIFA's Technical Study Group overlooked him for the tournament's Best Young Player award and handed it to Germany's Lukas Podolski, citing his behaviour as a factor in the decision.
2007: C.D. Nacional Renames Youth Campus After Ronaldo
In 2007, C.D. Nacional renamed its youth campus Cristiano Ronaldo Campus Futebol (Cristiano Ronaldo Football Campus).
2007: Publication of Ronaldo's autobiography, "Moments"
In 2007, Cristiano Ronaldo's autobiography, titled Moments, was published.
January 2008: First Hat-Trick for United
On 12 January 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first hat-trick for Manchester United in a 6–0 win against Newcastle United.
2008: UEFA Euro 2008
Ahead of UEFA Euro 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo wore the number 7 shirt. Despite scoring eight goals in qualifications, he scored just one goal in the finals, netting the second goal of Portugal's 3–1 win in the group stage game against the Czech Republic. Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals after a 3–2 loss to Germany.
2008: Ronaldo appears on Pro Evolution Soccer cover
Cristiano Ronaldo appeared on the cover of the 2008 edition of Pro Evolution Soccer.
2008: Ronaldo donates libel damages to charity
In 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo donated undisclosed damages from a libel case against The Sun newspaper to a charity in Madeira.
2008: Ronaldo opens CR7 fashion boutique in Lisbon
In 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo opened a second fashion boutique under the name CR7 (his initials and shirt number) in Lisbon.
2008: First Ballon d'Or Win
In 2008, Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or by a record-high vote count at age 23, marking the beginning of his recognition as one of the greatest players in history.
2008: Ronaldo's Manchester United shirt is best selling Premier League product
In 2008, Ronaldo's number 7 Manchester United shirt was the best-selling Premier League sports product.
2009: Ronaldo donates to hospital in Madeira
In 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo donated £100,000 to the hospital in Madeira that saved his mother's life to build a cancer centre on the island.
2009: Transfer to Real Madrid
In 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in a deal worth €94 million (£80 million), becoming the subject of the then-most expensive transfer in history.
2010: Given No. 7 and Copa del Rey Win
In 2010, Cristiano Ronaldo was given the No. 7 jersey following Raúl's departure. During the 2010-11 season, he scored 53 goals, helping Real Madrid win the Copa del Rey against Barcelona in El Clásico, marking his first trophy with the club. He also became the first player in La Liga to score 40 goals and won the European Golden Shoe for a second time.
2010: Ronaldo pledges to play in charity match
In support of the victims of the 2010 Madeira flood, Cristiano Ronaldo pledged to play in a charity match in Madeira between Primeira Liga club Porto and players from Madeiran-based clubs Marítimo and Nacional.
2010: 2010 World Cup
In the 2010 World Cup, Ronaldo scored only one goal; despite this, he was named man of the match in all three group stage matches. His only goal of the tournament came in their 7–0 demolishing of North Korea, which was his first international goal in 16 months.
September 2011: Release of "Ronaldo: Tested to the Limit"
In September 2011, Cristiano Ronaldo's sponsor Castrol produced the television film Ronaldo: Tested to the Limit, which tested him physically and mentally.
December 2011: Ronaldo launches iPhone game "Heads Up with Cristiano"
In December 2011, Cristiano Ronaldo launched an iPhone game called "Heads Up with Cristiano", created by developer RockLive.
2011: Runner-up in FIFA Ballon d'Or
In 2011, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 60 goals across all competitions. He led Real Madrid to their first league title in four years with a record 100 points. Ronaldo finished as runner-up to Lionel Messi in the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or.
2011: Record-Breaking La Liga Season
In the 2011–12 season, Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid achieve a record-breaking La Liga season, reaching 100 points.
March 2012: 100th League Goal for Madrid
On March 24, 2012, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th league goal for Real Madrid in a 5–1 win over Real Sociedad. This achievement broke the previous club record held by Ferenc Puskás.
November 2012: Ronaldo wears Nike Mercurial Vapor CR7 edition
Since November 2012, Cristiano Ronaldo has worn the Nike Mercurial Vapor personalised CR7 edition football boots.
December 2012: Ronaldo joins FIFA's "11 for Health" programme
In December 2012, Cristiano Ronaldo joined FIFA's "11 for Health" programme to raise awareness among kids about avoiding drug addiction, HIV, malaria, and obesity.
2012: Real Madrid Wins La Liga Title
Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid win their first La Liga title since 2012 and finished the 2016-2017 season with 42 goals in all competitions.
2012: Captained Madrid for the First Time
Following the 2012-13 winter break, Cristiano Ronaldo captained Real Madrid for the first time in an official match. He scored twice to help Madrid secure a 4–3 win over Real Sociedad on January 6, 2013. Later in 2012, on January 30, Ronaldo also became the first non-Spanish player in 60 years to captain Madrid in El Clasico, marking his 500th club appearance.
2012: Ronaldo comments on rivalry with Messi
In 2012, Ronaldo discussed his rivalry with Messi, acknowledging the competition pushes them both to be better. He mentioned that they don't have a relationship outside of football and hopes that they can laugh about it together in the future.
January 2013: Ronaldo becomes Save the Children's Global Artist Ambassador
In January 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo became Save the Children's new Global Artist Ambassador, aiming to help fight child hunger and obesity.
March 2013: Ronaldo becomes ambassador for Mangrove Care Forum Bali
In March 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo agreed to be the ambassador for the Mangrove Care Forum Bali in Indonesia, aiming to raise awareness of mangrove conservation.
October 2013: Sepp Blatter's comments and Ronaldo's response
In October 2013, during a debate at Oxford Union, FIFA president Sepp Blatter slighted Ronaldo, claiming "one of them has more expenses for the hairdresser than the other," after which Real Madrid demanded and received an apology. Ronaldo responded with a mock-salute celebration after scoring a penalty against Sevilla.
November 2013: Ronaldo co-designs underwear and sock line
In November 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo co-designed a range of underwear and sock line, released in partnership with Scandinavian manufacturer JBS Textile Group and New York fashion designer Richard Chai.
December 2013: Ronaldo launches Viva Ronaldo website and app
In December 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo launched Viva Ronaldo, a dedicated social networking website and app.
2013: Ronaldo appears on Pro Evolution Soccer cover
Cristiano Ronaldo appeared on the cover of the 2013 edition of Pro Evolution Soccer.
2013: Adaptation Under Carlo Ancelotti
From 2013 onwards, under manager Carlo Ancelotti, Ronaldo effectively adapted his style to the physical effects of ageing with increasingly reduced off-the-ball movement and general involvement, completing fewer dribbles and passes per game, and instead focusing on short-distance creating and goalscoring.
2013: Highest Recorded Jump
In 2013, Ronaldo achieved the record for the highest recorded jump in football history, measuring 2.93 metres (9 ft 7 in), during a match against Manchester United while playing for Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
2013: Wins FIFA Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year
In the 2013-14 season, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 69 goals. During 2013, he won the FIFA Ballon d'Or, and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, marking the first time he received this career award.
June 2014: Release of documentary "Cristiano Ronaldo: The World at His Feet"
In June 2014, the documentary Cristiano Ronaldo: The World at His Feet, narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, was released via Vimeo.
July 2014: Ronaldo launches CR7 fashion brand
In July 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo expanded his CR7 fashion brand by launching a line of premium shirts and shoes.
2014: Wins 2014 Ballon d'Or and FIFA Club World Cup
During the 2014–15 season, Cristiano Ronaldo achieved a new personal best of 61 goals. After winning the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup, Ronaldo received the 2014 Ballon d'Or, joining Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten as a three-time recipient. In 2014, Madrid finished in second place in La Liga and exited at the semi-final stage in the Champions League.
2014: Champions League Win
In 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid win the Champions League.
June 2015: Galaxy named Cosmos Redshift 7 (CR7) in tribute to Ronaldo
In June 2015, astronomers discovered a galaxy named Cosmos Redshift 7 (CR7) in tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo.
September 2015: Ronaldo releases fragrance "Legacy"
In September 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo released his own fragrance, "Legacy", in a partnership with Eden Parfums.
September 2015: Real Madrid's All-Time Top Scorer
On September 12, 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo became Real Madrid's all-time top scorer with 230 goals in 203 matches, surpassing Raúl. Ronaldo also became the all-time top scorer in the Champions League with a hat-trick against Shakhtar Donetsk.
November 2015: Release of documentary "Ronaldo"
On November 9, 2015, the documentary film Ronaldo, directed by Anthony Wonke, about Cristiano Ronaldo's life and career, was released.
2015: Ronaldo named world's most charitable sportsperson
In 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world's most charitable sportsperson after donating £5 million to the relief effort following the earthquake in Nepal, which killed over 8,000 people.
2015: Ronaldo's Real Madrid shirt is second best selling worldwide
In 2015, Ronaldo's number 7 Real Madrid shirt was the second best-selling worldwide, after Messi's number 10 Barcelona shirt.
June 2016: Sponsors earn significant media value across Ronaldo's accounts
Between June 2016 and June 2017, Ronaldo's sponsors earned $936 million in media value across his social media accounts.
June 2016: Ronaldo donates Champions League bonus
In June 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo donated his entire €600,000 Champions League bonus after Real Madrid won the competition and launched CR7Selfie, a selfie app for charity to help Save the Children.
2016: Equals Goalscoring Record
At the close of the year 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 54 goals in all competitions for Al-Nassr and Portugal, reaching the same goalscoring record as in 2016.
2016: First Player to Reach 100 Goals in UEFA Club Competition
During the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals against Bayern in April, Cristiano Ronaldo made history by becoming the first player to reach 100 goals in UEFA club competition. On May 17, 2016, Ronaldo also overtook Jimmy Greaves as the all-time top scorer in the top five European leagues, scoring twice against Celta de Vigo.
2016: UEFA Euro 2016 Victory and Ballon d'Or
In 2016, Ronaldo led Portugal to their first-ever trophy at the UEFA Euro 2016, although he was subbed off in the 25th minute in the final against hosts France. He received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer, which gave him his fourth Ballon d'Or later that year. Portugal qualified and made its only appearance in the FIFA Confederations Cup held in Russia, where they finished in third place.
June 2017: Sponsors earn significant media value across Ronaldo's accounts
Between June 2016 and June 2017, Ronaldo's sponsors earned $936 million in media value across his social media accounts.
2017: Awarded The Best FIFA Men's Player and Ballon d'Or
On October 23, 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded The Best FIFA Men's Player award for the second consecutive year. A day later, Ronaldo won the 2017 Ballon d'Or, receiving his fifth award on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
2017: Shift to Free-Roaming Center Forward
Since 2017, Ronaldo adapted his style of play to become more of a free-roaming centre forward under manager Zinedine Zidane, a role in which he continued to excel and maintain a prolific goalscoring record.
April 2018: Scored Bicycle Kick Against Juventus
On April 3, 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first two goals, including an acrobatic bicycle kick, in a 3–0 away win against Juventus in the quarter-finals of the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League. His second goal, with his foot approximately 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) off the ground, garnered a standing ovation from opposing fans and accolades.
2018: Joined Juventus at 33
In 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo joined Juventus at the age of 33.
2018: Transfer to Juventus
In 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Juventus in a transfer worth an initial €100 million.
2018: ESPN names Ronaldo world's most famous athlete
In 2018, ESPN named Cristiano Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete. Within 24 hours of his Juventus number 7 shirt being released, over 520,000 were sold, generating $62.4 million in one day.
2018: Prolific World Cup Campaign
In the 2018 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo had his most prolific World Cup campaign with four goals.
2018: 2018 World Cup Hat-Trick and Record
In the 2018 World Cup, Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup match, in a 3–3 draw against Spain. Ronaldo scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Morocco, breaking Puskás' record as the highest European goalscorer of all time, with 85 international goals. For his performances in the tournament, Ronaldo was named in the World Cup Dream Team.
2018: Wins Supercoppa Italiana with Juventus
On January 16, 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo won his first trophy with Juventus, the 2018 Supercoppa Italiana, after scoring the only goal from a header against AC Milan. In 2018, Ronaldo cited his need for a new challenge as his rationale for departing Madrid.
January 2019: Wins 2018 Supercoppa Italiana
On January 16, 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo won his first trophy with Juventus, the 2018 Supercoppa Italiana, after scoring the only goal from a header against AC Milan.
August 2019: Ronaldo comments on his relationship with Messi
In August 2019, Ronaldo commented on his relationship with Messi stating that they both pushed each other to be part of football history.
January 2020: First Serie A Hat-Trick
On January 6, 2020, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Serie A hat-trick in a 4–0 home win against Cagliari and became only the second player to score hat-tricks in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A. In 2020, he also reached several milestones in Juventus's 3–0 Champions League group stage win over Bayer Leverkusen including breaking Iker Casillas' record for most Champions League wins of all time.
September 2020: Sporting CP's football academy renamed Academia Cristiano Ronaldo
On September 21, 2020, Sporting CP's football academy in Alcochete was renamed Academia Cristiano Ronaldo.
2020: Euro 2020 Golden Boot
In 2020, Ronaldo received the Golden Boot as top scorer of Euro 2020. Ronaldo also became the first player to score at five European Championships.
March 2021: Scored in 600th League Match
On March 2, 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a goal in a 3–0 win over Spezia in his 600th league match, becoming the first player to score at least 20 goals in 12 consecutive seasons in the top five leagues of Europe.
August 2021: Re-signs with Manchester United
On August 27, 2021, Manchester United announced an agreement with Juventus to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo. The first 24 hours of Ronaldo's shirt sales broke the all-time record following a transfer, surpassing Messi's move to Paris Saint-Germain. Edinson Cavani agreed to switch to 21 and Ronaldo was given the number 7 shirt.
2021: Return to Manchester United
In 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United.
February 2022: Scored First Goal of the Year
After struggling with his teammates and interim manager for two months, on February 15, 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo scored in Manchester United's 2–0 win at home versus Brighton & Hove Albion, marking his first goal of the new year.
December 2022: Joins Al-Nassr
On December 30, 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo reached an agreement to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, signing a contract until 2025. Ronaldo received a salary of €200 million per year, including a guaranteed football salary of €90 million, with commercial and sponsorship deals bringing his total annual salary to €200 million.
2022: Fifth World Cup Appearance
In 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo played in his fifth World Cup.
January 2023: Debut and First Goal for Al-Nassr
In January 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut for Al-Nassr as club captain, playing the full 90 minutes of a 1–0 win over Al-Ettifaq. He scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw against Al-Fateh by converting a last-minute penalty.
March 2023: Most Capped Male Footballer
On March 23, 2023, Ronaldo scored a brace against Liechtenstein as he earned his 197th overall cap to become the most capped male footballer of all time.
September 2023: Ronaldo declares rivalry with Messi is over
In September 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo declared that his rivalry with Messi was over after 36 official fixtures and 15 years of "sharing the stage".
October 2023: Ronaldo invests in Medialivre
Since October 26 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo, through Portuguese company Expressão Livre, is part of the group of investors that are the new owners of Medialivre (Correio da Manhã, Record and Jornal de Negócios publisher).
2023: Top Scorer in All Competitions
In 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 54 goals in all competitions for Al-Nassr and Portugal, making him the outright top scorer.
May 2024: Breaks Saudi Pro League Scoring Record
On May 27, 2024, in Al-Nassr's home fixture against Al-Ittihad, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 34th and 35th league goals of the campaign, surpassing Abderrazak Hamdallah's record for the most goals scored in a single Saudi Pro League season. He also became the first footballer to finish as top scorer in four different leagues, the English, Spanish, Italian and Saudi leagues. On 31 May, in a 5–4 penalty shoot-out defeat to Al-Hilal in the 2024 King Cup final following a 1–1 draw after extra-time (in which he scored his side's second spot kick), he equalled Rogério Ceni's record for most top-level matches by a male professional footballer (1,225).
August 2024: Launch of UR·Cristiano YouTube Channel
On August 21, 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel, UR·Cristiano, which became the fastest to reach various subscriber milestones, including 1 million subscribers in 90 minutes, and became the most subscribed channel in Portugal.
2024: League's Top Scorer
In 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo concluded the 2024–25 season, achieving 25 league goals and securing his position as the league's top scorer for the second consecutive year.
2024: Featured in Sixth European Championship
With his start in Portugal's UEFA Euro 2024 opener against the Czech Republic, Ronaldo became the first player to feature in six European Championships.
2025: Ronaldo appears in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
In 2025, Cristiano Ronaldo appears as a playable character in the fighting game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.
2025: Contract End Date with Al-Nassr
On December 30, 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo reached an agreement to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, signing a contract until 2025.
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