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, known as CR7, is a Portuguese professional footballer widely considered one of the greatest. He captains both Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team. His numerous accolades include five Ballon d'Ors, a record three UEFA Men's Player of the Year Awards, and four European Golden Shoes. He has won 34 trophies, including five UEFA Champions Leagues and the UEFA European Championship. Ronaldo holds records for most Champions League goals (140) and assists (42), European Championship goals (14) and assists (8), and most international appearances (226) and goals (143). He's the only player to score 100+ goals with four different clubs. With over 1,300 professional appearances and 960+ 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

1948: Ronnie Rooke

On 20 July 2020, Ronaldo became the oldest player, at the age of 35 years and 166 days, to score over 30 goals in one of the five top European leagues since Ronnie Rooke with Arsenal in 1948.

1968: Winner of the Ballon d'Or

In 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo became United's first Ballon d'Or winner since Best in 1968

2007: C.D. Nacional renames its youth campus

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

June 2010: Waxwork at Madame Tussauds

In June 2010, Ronaldo was represented as a waxwork at Madame Tussauds London.

December 2013: Opens Museu CR7

In December 2013, 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 at Madrid Wax Museum

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

2013: Adapting his Style

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: Ronaldo's "Siu" Celebration

In 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo started performing his signature "Siu" goal celebration, involving a jump, turn, and spread-eagled landing, accompanied by exclaiming "Sí". This celebration became widely imitated and iconic.

January 2014: Raised to Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry

In January 2014, 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 Ronaldo the most marketable and most recognized football player in the world.

December 2014: Unveiling of Bronze Statue

In December 2014, a bronze statue of Ronaldo, designed by Ricardo Madeira Veloso, was unveiled in Funchal.

2014: Named in Time 100

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

2014: Named Among the 100 Most Influential People

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

June 2015: Galaxy Named After Ronaldo

In June 2015, astronomers discovered a galaxy which they named Cosmos Redshift 7 (CR7) in tribute to Ronaldo.

2015: UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year

In 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo was named in the UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year.

July 2016: Madeira Airport Renamed

On July 23, 2016, Madeira Airport in Funchal was renamed Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, leading to local debate.

2016: Most Famous Athlete

In 2016, ESPN named Cristiano Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete, a title he held until 2019.

2016: Named World's Most Famous Athlete by ESPN

In 2016, ESPN named Ronaldo the world's most famous 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 Ronaldo which was met with controversy due to its lack of likeness.

2017: Named World's Most Famous Athlete by ESPN

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

June 2018: New Bust Unveiled

In June 2018, a new bust of Ronaldo, created by a Spanish sculptor, was shown to the public, after the first one was ridiculed.

2018: Named World's Most Famous Athlete by ESPN

In 2018, ESPN named Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete.

2018: Most Influential Person in Sports Culture

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

2019: End of Reign as Most Famous Athlete

In 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo's reign as ESPN's most famous athlete ended.

2019: Named World's Most Famous Athlete by ESPN

In 2019, ESPN named Ronaldo 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.

2020: Ballon d'Or Dream Team

In 2020, Cristiano Ronaldo was named in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team.

February 2021: Most Popular Sportsperson on Social Media

By February 2021, Ronaldo became the most popular sportsperson on social media, surpassing 500 million followers across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, making him the first person to pass half a billion followers.

2021: FIFA Achievement Award

In 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo received a special award for Outstanding Career Achievement by FIFA.

2023: Confirmation of "Siu" Meaning

In 2023, Ronaldo confirmed that the phrase "Siu" is derived from Portuguese 'sim', meaning "yes", clarifying that "Siuuu" simply means yes, but "meaning it very strongly".

2023: Awarded Medal of Honor of the City

In 2023, the Lisbon City Council approved awarding Cristiano Ronaldo the Medal of Honor of the City, recognizing his passion for the city.

August 2024: Fastest Growing YouTube Channel

On August 21, 2024, Ronaldo's YouTube channel, UR · Cristiano, became the fastest to reach 1 million subscribers (in 90 minutes) and also the fastest to reach 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 million subscribers.