Cristiano Ronaldo's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Cristiano Ronaldo.

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

May 2004: Ronaldo Wins FA Cup with Manchester United

On May 15, 2004, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opening goal in a victory against Aston Villa and received his first red card. He also scored the opening goal in United's 3-0 win over Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup Final, securing his first trophy in English football.

2004: UEFA Euro 2004 Performance

During UEFA Euro 2004, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to Greece. Despite Portugal losing to Greece in the final, Ronaldo was named to the team of the tournament, contributing two assists and two goals.

2005: Strong Matches and League Cup Win

In 2005, Cristiano Ronaldo played two of his best matches of the 2004–05 season, producing a goal and an assist against Aston Villa and scoring twice against rivals Arsenal. He also won the Football League Cup after scoring the third goal in United's 4–0 final win over Wigan Athletic.

2010: Madrid wins Copa del Rey and Ronaldo wins European Golden Shoe

In 2010, Cristiano Ronaldo was given No. 7 for the 2010–11 season. He scored 53 goals, helping Real Madrid win the Copa del Rey, scoring the winning goal against Barcelona in the El Clásico. He also became the first player in La Liga to score 40 goals and won the European Golden Shoe for a second time, becoming the first player to win the award in different leagues.

2011: Real Madrid's Record-Breaking La Liga Season

In the 2011-12 season, Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role as Real Madrid reached a record-breaking 100 points in La Liga.

2012: Real Madrid wins La Liga title

Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid to win their first La Liga title since 2012.

2012: UEFA Euro 2012 Performance

In UEFA Euro 2012, Cristiano Ronaldo was a joint top scorer with three goals, earning him a place in the team of the tournament.

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.

2014: Real Madrid Wins Champions League

In 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid win the Champions League, contributing to the club's resurgence as a dominant European force.

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.

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.

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 Leads Portugal to Euro Victory

In 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to their first major tournament title at Euro 2016 and was named in the team of the tournament for the third time.

2016: UEFA Euro 2016 Victory and Ballon d'Or

In 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to their first-ever trophy at the UEFA Euro 2016, although he was subbed off in the 25th minute of the final against France. He received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer, which led to him winning his fourth Ballon d'Or later that year. The win qualified Portugal for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, where they finished third, with Ronaldo named man of the match in all three group stage matches.

2016: Equaling Goalscoring Record

In 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo reached a goalscoring record of 54 goals, a feat he would later equal in 2023.

2016: Ronaldo wins 2016 Ballon d'Or and The Best FIFA Men's Player

In 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or, his fourth, and the inaugural The Best FIFA Men's Player, a revival of the former FIFA World Player of the Year, largely owing to his success with Portugal in winning Euro 2016.

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.

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.

2017: Ronaldo Awarded The Best FIFA Men's Player and 2017 Ballon d'Or

On 23 October, 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded The Best FIFA Men's Player award for the second consecutive year. A day later, Ronaldo won the 2017 Ballon d'Or, receiving his fifth-time award on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

2018: 2018 World Cup Performance

During the 2018 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup match, in a 3–3 draw against Spain. In the following match, Ronaldo scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Morocco, surpassing Puskás' record as the highest European goalscorer of all time with 85 international goals. He was named in the World Cup Dream Team for his performances.

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.

2018: Ronaldo wins 2018 Supercoppa Italiana

On 16 January 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo won his first trophy with Juventus, the 2018 Supercoppa Italiana, after scoring the only goal from a header against AC Milan.

January 2019: Ronaldo wins 2018 Supercoppa Italiana

On 16 January 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo won his first trophy with Juventus, the 2018 Supercoppa Italiana, after he scored the only goal from a header against AC Milan.

July 2019: No Charges Filed in Rape Allegation

In July 2019, Las Vegas prosecutors announced they would not charge Ronaldo over allegations of rape due to insufficient evidence.

2019: UEFA Nations League Victory

In 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to victory in the inaugural UEFA Nations League. He received the top scorer award in the finals.

2019: Ronaldo Wins UEFA Nations League

In 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo won a UEFA Nations League title with Portugal.

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.

October 2021: Lawsuit Dismissal Recommendation

In October 2021, federal magistrate judge Daniel Albregts recommended that the rape lawsuit be dismissed due to the woman's lawyer's unethical use of Football Leaks documents.

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.

June 2022: Rape Lawsuit Dismissed

In June 2022, the woman's rape lawsuit against Ronaldo was dismissed with prejudice in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada due to the lawyer's use of illegally obtained documents.

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.

March 2023: Most Capped Male Footballer

On March 23, 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace against Liechtenstein, earning his 197th overall cap and becoming the most capped male footballer of all time.

2023: Top Scorer in 2023

In 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a total of 54 goals in all competitions for both Al-Nassr and Portugal, making him the outright top scorer of the year. This feat equals his goalscoring record from 2016.

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.

2024: League Top Scorer

During the 2024 season, Cristiano Ronaldo finished with 25 league goals, securing his position as the league's top scorer for the second consecutive time.

2024: Sportico ranks Ronaldo as highest-paid athlete of 2024

In 2024, Sportico named Cristiano Ronaldo the highest-paid athlete, with earnings of $260 million, maintaining his status as a top earner in sports.

June 2025: Second UEFA Nations League Title

On June 8, 2025, Cristiano Ronaldo won his second UEFA Nations League title, helping Portugal defeat Spain in the final, scoring 8 goals in 9 games in the tournament.