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, nicknamed CR7, is a Portuguese professional footballer considered one of the greatest players of all time. Playing as a forward and captaining both Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team, he has achieved remarkable success, winning five Ballon d'Or awards, a record three UEFA Men's Player of the Year Awards, and four European Golden Shoes. Ronaldo boasts 34 career trophies, including five UEFA Champions League titles and a UEFA European Championship. He holds records for goals and assists in both the Champions League and European Championship, as well as international appearances and goals. He is one of five players to score 100+ goals for three clubs. With over 1,200 professional appearances and over 900 senior career goals, he is the all-time top goalscorer.

Sections (7)

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

1968: Last Ballon d'Or Winner

In 1968, before Ronaldo in 2008, George Best was United's last Ballon d'Or winner.

2008: Ronaldo's Manchester United shirt is best-selling Premier League product

In 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo's number 7 Manchester United shirt was the best-selling Premier League sports product, demonstrating his popularity and marketability at the time.

June 2010: Ronaldo represented as waxwork at Madame Tussauds London

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

December 2013: Ronaldo opens Museu CR7 in Funchal

In December 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo opened a museum, Museu CR7, 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 of Ronaldo presented at Madrid Wax Museum

In December 2013, another waxwork of Cristiano Ronaldo was presented at the Madrid Wax Museum, adding to his representation in popular culture.

2013: Widespread adoption of "Siu" celebration

In 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo's "Sí" celebration, involving a "storming jump" and "turn" landing in his "signature power stance," gained widespread popularity and media coverage. Dubbed the "Siu" or "Siuuu", the celebration has since been imitated by athletes and personalities worldwide.

January 2014: Ronaldo raised to 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, recognizing his global impact and contributions to the country's international image.

May 2014: Repucom names Ronaldo most marketable football player

In May 2014, sports market research company Repucom named Cristiano Ronaldo the most marketable and most recognized football player in the world, highlighting his strong brand and commercial appeal.

December 2014: Bronze statue of Ronaldo unveiled in Funchal

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

2014: Ronaldo named in Time 100

In 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo was named in the Time 100, Time Magazine's annual list of the most influential people in the world, recognizing his global impact and influence.

2014: Ronaldo Included in TIME's 100 Most Influential People

In 2014, Time included Cristiano Ronaldo on their list of the 100 most influential people in the world, recognizing his significant impact beyond sports.

June 2015: Galaxy named Cosmos Redshift 7 (CR7) in tribute to Ronaldo

In June 2015, astronomers led by David Sobral from Lisbon and Leiden discovered a galaxy which they named Cosmos Redshift 7 (CR7) in tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo, recognizing his global fame.

2015: Ronaldo Named in UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year

In 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo was named in the UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year, honoring his exceptional performances in European football.

2015: Ronaldo's Real Madrid shirt is second best-selling worldwide

In 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo's number 7 Real Madrid shirt was the second best-selling worldwide, after Lionel Messi's Barcelona shirt, highlighting his global appeal.

June 2016: Sponsors earn millions from Ronaldo's social media

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

July 2016: Madeira Airport renamed Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport

On July 23, 2016, following Portugal's Euro 2016 triumph, Madeira Airport in Funchal was renamed Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, a move that faced some local debate.

2016: Ronaldo Ranked World's Most Famous Athlete

In 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo was ranked the world's most famous athlete by ESPN, recognizing his global popularity and influence.

2016: Forbes ranks Ronaldo highest-paid athlete

In 2016, Forbes ranked Cristiano Ronaldo as the highest-paid athlete in the world, with earnings of $88 million, solidifying his status as a top-earning sports figure.

March 2017: Unveiling of rebranded Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport

On March 29, 2017, the rebranded Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport was unveiled, including the presentation of a bust of Ronaldo's head, which generated controversy and ridicule for its lack of likeness.

2017: Forbes ranks Ronaldo highest-paid athlete again

In 2017, Forbes ranked Cristiano Ronaldo as the highest-paid athlete in the world for the second consecutive year, with earnings of $93 million.

2017: ESPN names Ronaldo world's most famous athlete again

In 2017, for the second year in a row, ESPN named Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's most famous athlete, highlighting his continued global recognition and popularity.

June 2018: New bust of Ronaldo unveiled at Madeira airport

In June 2018, a new bust of Cristiano Ronaldo was unveiled at the Madeira airport, replacing the previous controversial bust. Sports website Bleacher Report had originally commissioned a 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.

2018: ESPN names Ronaldo world's most famous athlete for the third consecutive year

In 2018, for the third consecutive year, ESPN named Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's most famous athlete, highlighting his continued global recognition and popularity.

2018: Ranked as Most Influential Person in Sports Culture

In a 2018 article for Bleacher Report, Cristiano Ronaldo was ranked first in the ranking of the 50 most influential people in sports culture for 2018.

2019: Ronaldo Ranked World's Most Famous Athlete

In 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo was ranked the world's most famous athlete by ESPN for the last time.

2019: ESPN names Ronaldo world's most famous athlete for the fourth consecutive year

In 2019, for the fourth consecutive year, ESPN named Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's most famous athlete, highlighting his continued global recognition and popularity.

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, honoring his early career contributions to the club.

2020: Ronaldo Named in Ballon d'Or Dream Team

In 2020, Cristiano Ronaldo was named in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team, acknowledging his place among the greatest players in football history.

February 2021: Ronaldo surpasses 500 million followers on social media

By February 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first person to surpass 500 million total followers across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, establishing him as the most popular sportsperson on social media.

2021: Ronaldo Receives FIFA Special Award for Outstanding Career Achievement

In 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo received a special award from FIFA for Outstanding Career Achievement, recognizing his record-breaking goalscoring success.

2021: Ronaldo named third highest-paid athlete of 2021 by Sportico

In 2021, Sportico named Cristiano Ronaldo the third highest-paid athlete, with earnings of $120 million, demonstrating his continued financial success.

2022: Sportico names Ronaldo third highest-paid athlete of 2022

In 2022, Sportico named Cristiano Ronaldo the third highest-paid athlete with earnings of $115 million.

September 2023: Ronaldo declares his rivalry with Messi is over

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

2023: Ronaldo confirms meaning of "Siu"

In 2023, almost a decade after its debut, Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that "Siu" is derived from the Portuguese "sim," meaning "yes," clarifying that "Siuuu" is simply an emphatic expression of "yes".

2023: Forbes and Sportico rank Ronaldo as highest-paid athlete

In 2023, both Forbes and Sportico ranked Cristiano Ronaldo as the highest-paid athlete in the world, with earnings of $275 million, confirming his position as a top earner.

2023: Lisbon City Council approves Medal of Honor for Ronaldo

In 2023, the Lisbon City Council approved awarding Cristiano Ronaldo the Medal of Honor of the City, recognizing his passion and connection to Lisbon.

August 2024: Ronaldo's YouTube channel breaks records

On August 21, 2024, after launching his YouTube channel, UR Cristiano, it became the fastest to reach 1 million subscribers in just 90 minutes. It also broke records for reaching 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 million subscribers and became the most subscribed channel in Portugal.