History of Cristiano Ronaldo in Timeline
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH ComM is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Juventus and captains the Portugal national team.
February 5, 1985: Born in Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo was born on 5 February 1985. Hew was raised on the Portuguese island of Madeira.
1997: Signed in Sporting CP
In 1997, at age of 12, he went on a three-day trial with Sporting CP, who signed him for a fee of £1,500. He subsequently moved from Madeira to Alcochete, near Lisbon, to join Sporting's other youth players at the club's football academy.
1999: Ceased education to focus entirely on football
By age 14, Ronaldo believed he had the ability to play semi-professionally, and agreed with his mother to cease his education in order to focus entirely on football. While popular with other students at school, he had been expelled after throwing a chair at his teacher, who he said had "disrespected" him.
2000: Diagnosed with a racing heart
In 2000, he was diagnosed with a racing heart, a condition that could have forced him to give up playing football. Ronaldo underwent heart surgery where a laser was used to cauterise multiple cardiac pathways into one, altering his resting heart rate. He was discharged from the hospital hours after the procedure and resumed training a few days later.
October 7, 2002: Made his debut in the Primeira Liga
On 7 October 2002, Ronaldo made his debut in the Primeira Liga, against Moreirense, and scored two goals in their 3–0 win. Over the course of the 2002–03 season, his representatives suggested the player to Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier and Barcelona president Joan Laporta.
October 2002: Was promoted from Sporting's youth team
At age 16, Ronaldo was promoted from Sporting's youth team by first-team manager László Bölöni, who was impressed with his dribbling. He subsequently became the first player to play for the club's under-16, under-17 and under-18 teams, the B team, and the first team, all within a single season.
November 2002: Arsène Wenger approached him to discuss a possible transfer
Manager Arsène Wenger, who was interested in signing the winger, met with him at Arsenal's grounds in November 2002 to discuss a possible transfer.
August 16, 2003: Made his debut in the Premier League
Ronaldo made his debut in the Premier League in a 4–0 home victory over Bolton Wanderers on 16 August 2003, receiving a standing ovation when he came on as a 60th-minute substitute for Nicky Butt. His performance earned praise from George Best, who hailed it as "undoubtedly the most exciting debut" he had ever seen.
August 20, 2003: Made his first senior appearance for Portugal
At age 18, Ronaldo made his first senior appearance for Portugal in a 1–0 victory over Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003. He was subsequently called up for UEFA Euro 2004, held in his home country, and scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to eventual champions Greece. After converting his penalty in a shootout against England at the quarter-final stage, he helped Portugal reach the final by scoring the opening goal in a 2–1 win over the Netherlands, but the crucial last match ended in a 0–1 defeat. He was featured in the team of the tournament, having provided two assists in addition to his two goals.
November 1, 2003: Scored his first goal for Manchester United
Ronaldo scored his first goal for Manchester United with a free-kick in a 3–0 win over Portsmouth on 1 November 2003. Three other league goals followed in the second half of the campaign, the last of which came against Aston Villa on the final day of the season, a match in which he also received his first red card. Ronaldo ended his first season in English football by scoring the opening goal in United's 3–0 victory over Millwall in the FA Cup final, earning his first trophy.
September 2005: His father died
At the age of 20, Ronaldo's father, José, died of an alcoholism-related liver condition at age 52 in September 2005.
2005: Two women made rape allegation over Ronaldo
Ronaldo and another man were investigated by the British Crown Prosecution Service after a 2005 rape allegation was brought forward by two women. Within days, the two women withdrew their allegation and Scotland Yard later issued a statement declaring there was not enough evidence for a prosecution.
2006: Opened his first fashion boutique
Ronaldo opened his first fashion boutique under the name CR7 (his initials and shirt number) on the island of Madeira, Portugal, in 2006.
February 6, 2007: Captained Portugal for the first time
One day after his 22nd birthday, Ronaldo captained Portugal for the first time in a friendly game against Brazil on 6 February 2007, as requested by Portuguese Football Federation president Carlos Silva, who had died two days earlier. Ahead of Euro 2008, he was given the number 7 shirt for the first time. While he scored eight goals in the qualification, the second-highest tally, he scored just one goal in the tournament, netting the second goal of their 3–1 win in the group stage match against the Czech Republic; in the same game, he also set-up Portugal's third goal in injury time, which was scored by Quaresma, and was named man of the match for his performance.
May 5, 2007: Scored the only goal in the Manchester derby
Ronaldo scored the only goal in the Manchester derby on 5 May 2007—his 50th goal for the club—as Manchester United claimed their first Premier League title in four years. As a result of his performances, he amassed a host of personal awards for the season. He won the Professional Footballers' Association's Player's Player, Fans' Player, and Young Player of the Year awards, as well as the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year award, becoming the first player to win all four main PFA and FWA honours. His club wages were concurrently upgraded to £120,000 a week (£31 million total) as part of a five-year contract extension with United.
December 2007: His autobiography, titled Moments, was published
Ronaldo's life and person have been the subject of several works. His autobiography, titled Moments, was published in December 2007.
2007: His mother was diagnosed with breast cancer
- His mother, Dolores, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 but eventually recovered.
- In the same year, C.D. Nacional renamed its youth campus Cristiano Ronaldo Campus Futebol (Cristiano Ronaldo Football Campus).
January 12, 2008: scored his first and only hat-trick for Manchester United
Ronaldo scored his first and only hat-trick for Manchester United in a 6–0 win against Newcastle United on 12 January 2008, bringing United up to the top of the Premier League table.
March 19, 2008: Captained United for the first time
A month later, on 19 March, he captained United for the first time in a home win over Bolton, and scored both goals of the match. His second goal was his 33rd of the campaign, which bettered George Best's total of 32 goals in the 1967–68 season, thus setting the club's new single-season record by a midfielder.
July 2008: Stated that he does not drink Alcohol
Ronaldo has said that he does not drink alcohol, and he received libel damages over a Daily Mirror article that reported him drinking heavily in a nightclub while recovering from an injury in July 2008
2008: His number 7 Manchester United jersey was the best-selling sports product
In 2008, Ronaldo's number 7 Manchester United jersey was the best-selling sports product under the auspices of the Premier League.
In the same year, Ronaldo expanded his business with a second clothes boutique in Lisbon.
After accepting undisclosed damages from a libel case against The Sun newspaper in 2008, Ronaldo donated the damages to a charity in Madeira.
August 29, 2009: Made his debut in La Liga on 29 August 2009
Ronaldo made his debut in La Liga on 29 August 2009, against Deportivo La Coruña, and scored from the penalty spot in Madrid's 3–2 home win. He scored in each of his first four league fixtures with the club, the first Madrid player to do so.
2009: Donated £100,000 to the hospital that saved his mother's life
In 2009, Ronaldo donated £100,000 to the hospital that saved his mother's life in Madeira following her battle with cancer, so that they could build a cancer centre on the island.
June 2010: Ronaldo became the fourth footballer to be represented as a waxwork
In June 2010, during the build-up to the World Cup, Ronaldo became the fourth footballer – after Steven Gerrard, Pelé and David Beckham – to be represented as a waxwork at Madame Tussauds London. Another waxwork of him was presented at the Madrid Wax Museum in December 2013. In June 2015, astronomers led by David Sobral from Lisbon and Leiden discovered a galaxy which they named CR7 (Cosmos Redshift 7) in tribute to Ronaldo.
June 17, 2010: His first child and son was born
Ronaldo's first child and son, Cristiano Jr., was born on 17 June 2010 in the United States. He stated that he has full custody of the child and would not be publicly revealing the identity of the mother as per agreement with her.
August 2010: Became the first sportsperson to reach 50 million facebook followers
He became the first sportsperson to reach 50 million facebook followers in August 2010.
2010: Pledged to play in a charity match in support of 2010 Madeira flood victims
In support of the victims of the 2010 Madeira flood, Ronaldo pledged to play in a charity match in Madeira between Primeira Liga club Porto and players from Madeiran-based clubs Marítimo and Nacional.
September 2011: Ronaldo: Tested to the Limit TV film was released
His sponsor Castrol produced the television film Ronaldo: Tested to the Limit, in which he is physically and mentally tested in several areas; his physical performance was consequently subject to scrutiny by world media upon the film's release in September 2011.
December 2011: Launched an iPhone game called Heads Up with Cristiano
In December 2011, he launched an iPhone game called Heads Up with Cristiano, created by developer RockLive.
March 24, 2012: Scored his 100th league goal for Real Madrid
Ronaldo found greater team success in the league, as he helped Real Madrid win their first La Liga title in four years, with a record 100 points. Following a hat-trick against Levante, further increasing Madrid's lead over Barcelona, he scored his 100th league goal for Madrid in a 5–1 win over Real Sociedad on 24 March 2012, a milestone he reached in just 92 matches across three seasons, breaking the previous club record held by Ferenc Puskás.
December 2012: Joined FIFA's "11 for Health"
In December 2012, Ronaldo joined FIFA's "11 for Health" programme to raise awareness amongst kids of how to steer clear of conditions including drug addiction, HIV, malaria and obesity.
2012: Paid for specialist treatment for a nine-year-old with terminal cancer
In 2012, Ronaldo and his agent paid for specialist treatment for a nine-year-old Canarian boy with apparently terminal cancer.
2012: Voted second in the running for the FIFA Ballon d'Or
His performances in 2012 again saw Ronaldo voted second in the running for the FIFA Ballon d'Or, finishing runner-up to four-time winner Messi.
2012: Was rated the fifth most marketable athlete
SportsPro rated him the fifth most marketable athlete in 2012, and eighth most marketable athlete in 2013, with Brazilian footballer Neymar topping both lists. Sports market research company Repucom named Ronaldo the most marketable and most recognised football player in the world in May 2014. He was additionally named in the 2014 Time 100, Time's annual list of the most influential people in the world. ESPN named Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
January 2013: Became Save the Children's new Global Artist Ambassador
In January 2013, Ronaldo became Save the Children's new Global Artist Ambassador, in which he hopes to help fight child hunger and obesity.
March 2013: Agreed to be the ambassador for The Mangrove Care Forum in Indonesia
In March 2013, Ronaldo agreed to be the ambassador for The Mangrove Care Forum in Indonesia, an organisation aiming to raise awareness of mangrove conservation.
April 2013: Honoured by Sporting to become their 100,000th member.
A decade after his departure from United, in April 2013, Sporting honoured Ronaldo by selecting him to become their 100,000th member.
September 6, 2013: Scored his first international hat-trick
His first international hat-trick also came against Northern Ireland, when he found the net three times in a 15-minute spell of a 4–2 qualifying victory on 6 September 2013.
October 2013: FIFA president claimed Ronaldo has more expenses for the hairdresser than Messi
In a debate at Oxford Union in October 2013, when asked whether FIFA president Sepp Blatter preferred Messi or Ronaldo, Blatter paid tribute to the work ethic of the Argentine before taking a swipe at Ronaldo, claiming "one of them has more expenses for the hairdresser than the other". Real Madrid demanded – and promptly received – a full apology, and the Portuguese issued his own riposte with a mock-salute celebration after scoring a penalty against Sevilla, after Blatter had described him as a "commander" on the pitch.
November 2013: Co-designed and released range of his underwear and sock line
In partnership with Scandinavian manufacturer JBS Textile Group and the New York fashion designer Richard Chai, Ronaldo co-designed a range of underwear and sock line, released in November 2013.
December 2013: Launched his dedicated social networking website and mobile app
In December 2013, he launched Viva Ronaldo, a dedicated social networking website and mobile app.
December 2013: Opened a museum to house trophies and memorabilia of his life and career
In December 2013, Ronaldo opened a museum, Museu CR7, in his hometown of Funchal, Madeira, to house trophies and memorabilia of his life and playing career; the museum is an official sponsor of the local football team União da Madeira.
2013: Was rated the eighth most marketable athlete
SportsPro rated him the eighth most marketable athlete in 2013, with Brazilian footballer Neymar topping both lists.
January 2014: Portuguese President raised Ronaldo to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry
At a ceremony held at the Belém Palace in January 2014, President of Portugal Aníbal Cavaco Silva raised Ronaldo to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry, "to distinguish an athlete of world renown who has been a symbol of Portugal globally, contributing to the international projection of the country and setting an example of tenacity for future generations".
March 5, 2014: Became Portuguese all-time top scorer
Ronaldo subsequently scored twice in a 5–1 friendly win over Cameroon on 5 March 2014 to become his country's all-time top scorer.
May 2014: Was named the most marketable and most recognised football player
Sports market research company Repucom named Ronaldo the most marketable and most recognised football player in the world in May 2014.
June 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo: The World at His Feet documentary was released
Cristiano Ronaldo: The World at His Feet, a documentary narrated by the actor Benedict Cumberbatch, was released via Vimeo in June 2014.
July 2014: Expanded his CR7 fashion brand
He expanded his CR7 fashion brand by launching a line of premium shirts and shoes by July 2014.
October 2014: Became first sportsperson to reach 100 million facebook followers
In October 2014, he became the first sportsperson, and the second person after Shakira, to reach 100 million facebook followers.
November 14, 2014: Reached 23 goals in the European Championship
Ronaldo scored five goals, including a hat-trick against Armenia, in the qualification for Euro 2016. With the only goal in another victory over Armenia on 14 November 2014, he reached 23 goals in the European Championship, including qualifying matches, to become the competition's all-time leading goalscorer.
December 21, 2014: His statue was unveiled in Funchal
A bronze statue of Ronaldo, designed by artist Ricardo Madeira Veloso, was unveiled in Funchal on 21 December 2014.
2014: Named in Time's annual list of the most influential people
- He was named in the 2014 Time 100, Time's annual list of the most influential people in the world.
- In 2014, Ronaldo told France Football that he had made a "mistake" when he said in 2011, "People are jealous of me as I am rich, handsome and a great player", adding that he had matured since then and fans understood him better.
January 2015: Announced his five-year relationship with Russian model Irina Shayk
In January 2015, Ronaldo announced his five-year relationship with Russian model Irina Shayk had ended.
September 2015: Released his own fragrance, Legacy
In September 2015, Ronaldo—in a partnership with Eden Parfums—released his own fragrance, "Legacy".
November 9, 2015: His documentary titled "Ronaldo" was released
A documentary film about his life and career, titled Ronaldo, was released worldwide on 9 November 2015. Directed by BAFTA-winner Anthony Wonke, the film is produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, while Asif Kapadia is the executive producer.
2015: Was named the world's most charitable sportsperson
Ronaldo was named the world's most charitable sportsperson in 2015 after donating £5 million to the relief effort after the earthquake in Nepal which killed over 8,000 people.
March 5, 2016: Reached 252 goals in La Liga
By scoring four goals in a 7–1 home win over Celta de Vigo on 5 March 2016, Ronaldo arrived at 252 goals in La Liga to become the competition's second-highest scorer in history behind Messi.
June 2016: Donated the entirety of his €600,000 Champions League bonus
In June 2016, Ronaldo donated the entirety of his €600,000 Champions League bonus after Real Madrid won the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League.
July 23, 2016: Madeira Airport in Funchal was renamed as Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport
On 23 July 2016, following Portugal's triumph at Euro 2016, Madeira Airport in Funchal was renamed as Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport.
August 2016: Launched a selfie app, CR7Selfie
In August 2016, Ronaldo launched CR7Selfie, a selfie app for charity to help Save the Children that lets participants take a selfie with him in one of several different outfits and poses. In the app, fans can select from among 68 photos of Ronaldo in different outfits and poses, and scroll through 39 filters to apply to their selfies.
October 8, 2016: Scored the highest number of goals in an international match
Following the Euro 2016 success, Ronaldo scored four goals against Andorra in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on 8 October 2016. His four goals against a nine-man team marked the highest number of goals he has scored in an international match.
November 13, 2016: Had a total of 68 international goals
On 13 November 2016, Ronaldo scored two goals (while also missing a penalty) in another qualifier against Latvia, which ended in a 4–1 home victory. These goals brought his international tally to 68 goals, putting level with Gerd Müller and Robbie Keane as the fourth-highest European international goalscorer of all-time.
2016: Became the first footballer to top the Forbes list of highest-earning athletes
In 2016, he became the first footballer to top the Forbes list of highest-earning athletes, with a total income of $88 million from his salary and endorsements in 2015–16. He topped the list for the second straight year with earnings of $93 million in 2016–17.
2016: Was named world's most famous athlete
ESPN named Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete in 2016.
February 27, 2017: Overtook Hugo Sánchez as the most prolific penalty-kick score
In Real Madrid's 3–2 away win against Villarreal on 27 February 2017, Ronaldo overtook Hugo Sánchez as the most prolific penalty-kick scorer in La Liga history.
March 28, 2017: Played his first professional match on his home island of Madeira
He played his first professional match on his home island of Madeira on 28 March 2017 at age 32, opening a 2–3 friendly defeat to Sweden at the Estádio dos Barreiros. With the goal, he tied with Miroslav Klose on 71 goals as the third-highest scoring European in international football.
April 12, 2017: Became the first player to reach 100 goals in UEFA club competition
On 12 April, in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, Ronaldo scored two goals in a 2–1 away win to give Madrid the win and the lead going into the second leg. The two goals saw him make history in becoming the first player to reach 100 goals in UEFA club competition.
April 2017: Was being investigated for another rape allegation originating in 2009
In April 2017 it was reported that Ronaldo was being investigated for another rape allegation by the Las Vegas Police Department originating in 2009. Documents, confirmed by Ronaldo's lawyers, state that Ronaldo paid a woman US$375,000 in a non-disclosure settlement. Ronaldo and his lawyers issued a lengthy statement denying all accusations, describing them as an "intentional defamation campaign" with parts significantly "altered and/or completely fabricated", a claim which Der Spiegel categorically refuted.
May 2, 2017: Reached 50 goals in the knockout stage of the competition after scoring hat-trick
On 2 May 2017, Ronaldo scored another hat-trick in the following Champions League match, as Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid 3–0 in the semi-final first leg. His hat-trick made him the first player to reach 50 goals in the knockout stage of the competition and also the only player that scored back-to-back hat-tricks in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage.
May 17, 2017: Overtook Jimmy Greaves as the all-time top scorer
On 17 May, Ronaldo overtook Jimmy Greaves as the all-time top scorer in the top five European leagues, scoring a brace against Celta de Vigo.
June 2017: Had 277 million followers across his social media
By June 2017, Ronaldo had 277 million followers across social media. His sponsors earned $936 million in media value across his social media accounts between June 2016 to June 2017.
July 2017: Was charged with fraudulently evading almost €15 million in tax
In July 2017, Ronaldo was charged with fraudulently evading almost €15 million in tax between 2011 and 2014, a claim he denied at the time.
August 31, 2017
On 31 August 2017, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in a 5–1 win in a World Cup qualifier over the Faroe Islands, which saw him overtake Pelé and equal Hussein Saeed as the joint-fifth-highest goalscorer in international football with 78 goals.
2017: Became the top goalscorer for the fifth-straight season
In the 2017 final, he scored two goals in the victory against Juventus and became the top goalscorer for the fifth-straight season, and sixth overall, with 12 goals, while also becoming the first person to score in three finals in the Champions League era as well as reaching his 600th senior career goal.
2017: Was named world's most famous athlete
ESPN named Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete in 2017.
June 2018: He was given a two-year suspended jail sentence and fined €18.8 million for tax evasion
In June 2018 Ronaldo was given a two-year suspended jail sentence and fined €18.8 million, later reduced to €16.8 million after reaching a deal with Spanish authorities. The sentence can be served under probation, without any jail time, so long as he does not reoffend.
July 10, 2018: Signed a four-year contract with Juventus
After eight days of transfer speculation concerning Italian club Juventus, on 10 July 2018, Ronaldo signed a four-year contract with them after completing a €100 million transfer, which included an additional €12 million in other fees and solidarity contributions to Ronaldo's youth clubs. The transfer was the highest ever for a player over 30 years old, and the highest ever paid by an Italian club.
Within 24 hours of his number 7 Juventus jersey being released, over 520,000 had been sold, with $62.4 million generated in one day.
August 18, 2018: Made his official debut for Juventus
Ronaldo made his official debut for Juventus in their opening Serie A match on 18 August, a 3–2 away win over Chievo.
September 16, 2018: Scored his first goal for Juventus
On 16 September, his fourth appearance for Juventus, he scored his first goal, which was immediately followed by a second, in a 2–1 home win over Sassuolo; the latter was the 400th league goal of his career.
September 19, 2018: He was sent off in the 29th minute for "violent conduct" in his first Champions League match for Juventus
On 19 September, in his first Champions League match for Juventus, he was sent off in the 29th minute for "violent conduct"—the first time in 154 Champions League appearances—in an eventual 2–0 away win over Valencia, and was awarded a one-game suspension. Ronaldo scored his first Champions League goal for Juventus in a 2–1 home loss to his former club Manchester United.
In that month, he became the first player in history to win 100 Champions League matches, setting up Mario Mandžukić's winner in a 1–0 home victory over Valencia, which sealed Juventus's passage to the knock-out stages of the competition.
December 2018: Scored his tenth Serie A goal
In December, he scored his tenth Serie A goal of the season, from the penalty spot, netting the final goal in a 3–0 away win over rivals Fiorentina; with this goal, Ronaldo became the first Juventus player since John Charles in 1957 to score 10 goals in his first 14 league games for the club.
2018: Was named the world's most famous athlete
ESPN named Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete in 2018.
January 2019: Won his first trophy with Juventus
Ronaldo won his first trophy with Juventus in January 2019, the 2018 Supercoppa Italiana, after he scored the game-winning and only goal from a header against A.C. Milan.
March 2019: Announced he would open a hair transplant clinic in Madrid
In March 2019, Ronaldo announced he would open a hair transplant clinic in Madrid, with his partner Georgina Rodríguez being one of it's managers.