Childhood and Education Journey of Cristiano Ronaldo in Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Cristiano Ronaldo. From birth to education, explore key events.

Cristiano Ronaldo, often called CR7, is a Portuguese professional footballer renowned as one of the greatest players ever. He currently captains both Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team as a forward. His achievements include five Ballon d'Or awards, a record three UEFA Men's Player of the Year Awards, and four European Golden Shoes. Ronaldo has secured 33 trophies, including seven league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, and one UEFA European Championship. He holds records for most Champions League goals (140) and assists (42), European Championship goals (14) and assists (8), and international appearances (219) and goals (136). Surpassing 900 official senior career goals, Ronaldo stands as the top goalscorer of all time.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

February 1985: Cristiano Ronaldo's Birth

On February 1985, Cristiano Ronaldo was born as Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.

1992: Playing for Andorinha

From 1992 to 1995, as a child, Ronaldo played for Andorinha, where his father was the kit man.

1995: Playing for Andorinha

From 1992 to 1995, as a child, Ronaldo played for Andorinha, where his father was the kit man.

2004: Aid to Tsunami Victims

Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Cristiano Ronaldo visited Aceh, Indonesia, to raise funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction after seeing a survivor wearing a Portuguese football shirt.

September 2005: Death of Father

In September 2005, Cristiano Ronaldo's father, José, died at age 52 due to an alcoholism-related liver condition, when Ronaldo was 20 years old.

2006: CR7 Boutique Opening in Madeira

In 2006, Cristiano Ronaldo opened a fashion boutique under the name CR7 on the island of Madeira.

2007: C.D. Nacional Renames Youth Campus

In 2007, C.D. Nacional renamed its youth campus Cristiano Ronaldo Campus Futebol (Cristiano Ronaldo Football Campus).

2007: Publication of Moments

In 2007, Ronaldo's autobiography, titled Moments, was published.

July 2008: Libel Damages Over Drinking Report

In July 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo received libel damages over a Daily Mirror article that reported him drinking heavily in a nightclub while recovering from an injury.

2008: Donation to Charity in Madeira

In 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo donated undisclosed damages from a libel case against The Sun newspaper to a charity in Madeira.

2008: CR7 Boutique Opening in Lisbon

In 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo opened a second CR7 fashion boutique in Lisbon.

2009: Donation to Madeira Hospital

In 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo donated £100,000 to the hospital in Madeira that saved his mother's life, so they could build a cancer center on the island.

2009: Transfer to Real Madrid

In 2009, Ronaldo transferred to Real Madrid for a then world record £80 million, with 80,000 fans attending his presentation.

June 2010: Waxwork at Madame Tussauds London

In June 2010, Cristiano Ronaldo became the fourth footballer to be represented as a waxwork at Madame Tussauds London.

June 2010: Birth of Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.

On June 17, 2010, Cristiano Ronaldo became a father to a son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., who was born in the United States. Ronaldo has full custody of the child and has not publicly revealed the identity of the mother.

2010: Support for Madeira Flood Victims

In 2010, in support of the victims of the 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.

December 2012: 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: First time as captain for Madrid

Following the 2012–13 winter break, Ronaldo captained Real Madrid for the first time in an official match on 6 January, scoring twice to lift 10-man Madrid to a 4–3 win over Sociedad.

January 2013: Global Artist Ambassador for Save the Children

In January 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo became Save the Children's new Global Artist Ambassador, with the aim of fighting child hunger and obesity.

March 2013: Ambassador for The Mangrove Care Forum

In March 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo agreed to be the ambassador for The Mangrove Care Forum in Indonesia, an organization focused on mangrove conservation awareness.

December 2013: Museu CR7 Opening

In December 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo opened Museu CR7, a museum in his hometown of Funchal, Madeira, to house trophies and memorabilia. The museum is an official sponsor of the local football team União da Madeira.

December 2013: Waxwork at Madrid Wax Museum

In December 2013, another waxwork of Cristiano Ronaldo was presented at the Madrid Wax Museum.

December 2014: Bronze Statue Unveiled in Funchal

On December 21, 2014, a bronze statue of Cristiano Ronaldo, designed by artist Ricardo Madeira Veloso, was unveiled in Funchal.

January 2015: End of Relationship with Irina Shayk

In January 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo's five-year relationship with Russian model Irina Shayk ended.

June 2016: Donates Champions League Bonus

In June 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo donated his entire €600,000 Champions League bonus after Real Madrid won the competition.

July 2016: Madeira Airport Renamed

On July 23, 2016, Madeira Airport in Funchal was renamed Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport following Portugal's triumph at Euro 2016. The name change was met with some local debate.

March 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport Unveiling

On March 29, 2017, the rebranded Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport was unveiled, which included a bust of his head. The bust and the name change were met with controversy due to the bust's lack of likeness to Ronaldo.

June 2017: Birth of Twins via Surrogacy

In June 8 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo became a father to twins, born in the United States via surrogacy.

November 2017: Birth of Daughter with Georgina Rodríguez

On November 12, 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo's partner, Georgina Rodríguez, gave birth to a daughter.

April 2018: "PlayStation goal" against Juventus

On 3 April 2018, Ronaldo scored an acrobatic bicycle kick, described as a "PlayStation goal", against Juventus in the Champions League quarter-finals, earning a standing ovation from the opposing fans.

June 2018: New Bust Commissioned

In June 2018, after the initial bust of Cristiano Ronaldo at the Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport was heavily criticized, sports website Bleacher Report commissioned sculptor Emanuel Santos to create another bust; however, this bust was never used and a new one was made by a Spanish sculptor, shown to the public on June 15, 2018.

September 2020: Sporting CP's Football Academy Renamed

On September 21, 2020, Sporting CP's football academy in Alcochete, formerly called Academia Sporting, was renamed Academia Cristiano Ronaldo.

August 2021: Re-signs with Manchester United

On 27 August 2021, Manchester United announced they had reached an agreement with Juventus to re-sign Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical.

2021: Dolores Aveiro's Interview

In 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo's mother, Dolores Aveiro, stated in an interview for Sporting TV that her son would have been a bricklayer if he hadn't become a football player.

2022: Expected Twins, Male Twin Died

In 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez were expecting another set of twins. The male twin died during childbirth while the female twin survived.

October 2023: Investment in Medialivre

Since October 26 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo, through Portuguese company Expressão Livre, became part of a group of investors who are the new owners of Medialivre (Correio da Manhã, Record and Jornal de Negócios publisher).