How Cristiano Ronaldo Shaped the Future: A Legacy Timeline

A detailed timeline of the impact and legacy of Cristiano Ronaldo across different fields.

Cristiano Ronaldo, often nicknamed CR7, is a highly decorated Portuguese professional footballer currently playing for Al-Nassr and captaining the Portugal national team. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, Ronaldo's accomplishments include five Ballon d'Or awards, a record three UEFA Men's Player of the Year Awards, and four European Golden Shoes. He has won 33 trophies across his career, including league titles, five Champions Leagues, and the UEFA European Championship. Ronaldo holds records for most Champions League goals and assists, European Championship goals and assists, international appearances, and international goals. He is among the few players with over 1,200 professional appearances and has scored over 900 senior career goals, making him the all-time leading goalscorer.

Sections (7)

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

1968: Best's Ballon d'Or Win

In 1968, George Best won the Ballon d'Or, preceding Cristiano Ronaldo becoming United's first Ballon d'Or winner since then.

2007: C.D. Nacional Youth Campus Renamed

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

2008: Best-Selling Premier League Shirt

In 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo's number 7 Manchester United shirt was the best-selling Premier League sports product.

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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.

2010: Ronaldo's Earnings

From 2010 to 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo earned €720 million (£615 million), ranking second in Forbes list of the decade's highest-paid athletes.

2012: Ronaldo Comments on Rivalry with Messi

In 2012, Ronaldo discussed his rivalry with Lionel Messi, acknowledging its competitive nature and stating that they push each other. He also addressed their personal relationship, noting they don't have one outside of football but hoped they could laugh about the rivalry in the future.

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.

December 2013: Waxwork at Madrid Wax Museum

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

2013: Highest-Paid Footballer

In 2013–14, Cristiano Ronaldo's combined income from salaries, bonuses and endorsements was $73 million, ranking him first on Forbes list of the world's highest-paid football players.

January 2014: Rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry

In January 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo was raised to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry by the President of Portugal, Aníbal Cavaco Silva.

May 2014: Most Marketable Football Player

In May 2014, Repucom named Cristiano Ronaldo the most marketable and most recognized football player in the world.

December 2014: Bronze Statue Unveiled

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

2014: Named in Time 100

In 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo was named in the Time 100, Time's annual list of the most influential people in the world.

2014: Included on Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2014, Time included Ronaldo on their list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

2014: Highest-Paid Footballer

In 2014–15, Cristiano Ronaldo's combined income from salaries, bonuses and endorsements was $79 million, ranking him first on Forbes list of the world's highest-paid football players.

June 2015: Galaxy Named CR7

In June 2015, astronomers led by David Sobral discovered a galaxy named Cosmos Redshift 7 (CR7) in tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo.

September 2015: Real Madrid's All-Time Top Scorer

On 12 September 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo became Real Madrid's all-time top scorer against Espanyol, netting 230 goals in 203 matches, surpassing the previous record holder, Raúl.

2015: Second Best-Selling Football Shirt

In 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo's number 7 Real Madrid shirt was the second best-selling worldwide, after Messi's number 10 Barcelona shirt.

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2015: Named Best Portuguese Player of All Time

In 2015, Ronaldo was named the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation.

2015: Highest-Earning Athlete

In 2015–16, Cristiano Ronaldo's total income was $88 million from his salary and endorsements. In 2014-15, his combined income was $79 million

June 2016: Sponsors Earned Media Value

Between June 2016 and June 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo's sponsors earned $936 million in media value across his social media accounts.

July 2016: Madeira Airport Renamed

On July 23, 2016, following Portugal's Euro 2016 triumph, Madeira Airport in Funchal was renamed Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport.

2016: Highest-Earning Athlete

In 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo 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.

2016: ESPN's Most Famous Athlete

In 2016, ESPN named Cristiano Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete.

2016: World's Highest-Paid Athlete

In 2016, Forbes ranked Ronaldo as the world's highest-paid athlete.

March 2017: Unveiling of Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport

On March 29, 2017, the rebranded Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport was unveiled, including a bust of his head. The bust received criticism for not resembling Ronaldo.

June 2017: Sponsors Earned Media Value

Between June 2016 and June 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo's sponsors earned $936 million in media value across his social media accounts.

2017: ESPN's Most Famous Athlete

In 2017, ESPN named Cristiano Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete.

2017: World's Highest-Paid Athlete

In 2017, Forbes ranked Ronaldo as the world's highest-paid athlete.

June 2018: New Bust Revealed

In June 2018, a new bust of Cristiano Ronaldo, created by a Spanish sculptor, was shown to the public, commissioned by sports website Bleacher Report.

2018: Ranked Among Influential Sports Figures

In 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo was ranked first in the ranking of the 50 most influential people in sports culture, highlighting his impact and legacy.

2018: ESPN's Most Famous Athlete and Juventus Shirt Sales

In 2018, ESPN named Cristiano Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete. Also, within 24 hours of his number 7 Juventus shirt being released, over 520,000 were sold, generating $62.4 million in one day.

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August 2019: Ronaldo and Messi on Football History

In August 2019, during an interview before the UEFA Men's Player of the Year announcement, Cristiano Ronaldo stated that he and Lionel Messi pushed each other, acknowledging their shared history in football.

2019: Ronaldo's Earnings

From 2010 to 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo earned €720 million (£615 million), ranking second in Forbes list of the decade's highest-paid athletes.

2019: World's Most Famous Athlete

From 2016 to 2019, ESPN ranked Ronaldo as the world's most famous athlete.

September 2020: Sporting CP's Academy Renamed

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

February 2021: 500 Million Social Media Followers

By February 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo reached over 500 million total followers across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, becoming the first person to pass half a billion followers.

2022: Messi's World Cup Victory

In 2022, after Lionel Messi led Argentina to victory in the FIFA World Cup, many critics and commentators suggested that Messi had settled the debate between the two players.

2022: Scores at Fifth World Cup

In the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo became the first player to score at five World Cups.

September 2023: Ronaldo Declares Rivalry with Messi Over

In September 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo declared that his rivalry with Lionel Messi was "over and gone" after 36 official fixtures and 15 years of "sharing the stage".

2023: World's Highest-Paid Athlete

In 2023, Forbes ranked Ronaldo as the world's highest-paid athlete.

2023: Signs with Al-Nassr

In 2023, Ronaldo signed for Al-Nassr, a move credited for revolutionizing football in Saudi Arabia.

2023: Ronaldo Confirms "Siu" Meaning

In 2023, almost a decade after first performing the "Siu" celebration, Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed in an interview that the phrase "Siuuu" is derived from the Portuguese word 'sim,' meaning 'yes,' but with a stronger emphasis.

2023: Medal of Honor of the City of Lisbon

In 2023, the Lisbon City Council approved awarding Cristiano Ronaldo the Medal of Honor of the City.

August 2024: UR Cristiano YouTube Channel Launch

On August 21, 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel, UR Cristiano, which quickly became the fastest to reach various subscriber milestones, including 1 million subscribers in 90 minutes.