On February 5, 1985, Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Madeira, Portugal. One of the best football players of his period was the Portuguese forward. Ronaldo underwent surgery to treat a cardiac ailment that he was diagnosed with at the age of 15. He recovered fully and was only temporarily sidelined. Before making his debut for Sporting’s first team in 2002, he played for Clube Desportivo Nacional of Madeira. There he played for the club’s several youth teams. Find the list of the clubs that Cristiano Ronaldo has played for below.
SPORTING (2002-03)
At the age of twelve, Ronaldo left the island of Madeira to go to Lisbon for a trial with Sporting. After joining the club’s academy, he began training with the starting team at the age of sixteen. At the age of seventeen, Ronaldo, a skinny and agile winger, made his senior debut. Major European clubs were taking notice of him when he scored five goals and gave five assists in his debut season at Sporting (2002–03).
The following preseason, Manchester United hosted Sporting to formally inaugurate the Portuguese team’s new stadium. Ronaldo tortured right back John O’Shea, so good was his performance that United’s teammates encouraged manager Alex Ferguson to sign him. Ronaldo was even introduced to the United players in the locker room following the game. In less than a week, he signed a $14.75 million (£12.25 million) contract with United.
MANCHESTER UNITED (2003-09)
Ronaldo turned into a superstar during his first stint at United. He went from an incredibly talented but inconsistent winger to a prolific and intimidating striker. In 292 games across all competitions, he scored 118 goals. He helped United win the Premier League three times in a row from 2007 to 2009. It matched the club record from 1999 to 2001. In 2008, he helped United win the Champions League once more. He scored the team’s goal in the 1-1 final, which ended in a penalty shootout victory for United.
Following a season in which he scored 42 goals across all competitions in 2007–08. Ronaldo won the first of his five World Player of the Year accolades in 2008. He stayed at United for one more season, helping the squad win both the Premier League and the League Cup.
REAL MADRID (2009-18)
Signed for a then-record 80 million pounds (about $131 million), Ronaldo’s nine-year tenure was characterized by his rivalry with then-Barcelona star Lionel Messi and their combined scoring prowess, which brought him additional medals and notoriety. Ronaldo, who primarily played as a center forward, was so prolific that throughout his time at Real Madrid, he averaged more than one goal per game (450 goals in 438 games), setting the record for most goals scored by the team.
In eight of his nine seasons, he scored more than 40 goals, and in two of those, he scored 60. In addition to winning two La Liga championships and the Champions League in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018, he also received further Ballon d’Or trophies in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 during a run of consistent success that elevated him to the status as one of the best players in game history. Real Madrid was undoubtedly the biggest of the clubs that Cristiano Ronaldo represented.
JUVENTUS (2018-21)
Amidst allegations of tax fraud against him and other elite players in Spain, Ronaldo sought to embark on a “new phase” in his career. As a result, he made a lucrative transfer to Juventus for 112 million euros (then $131.5 million). He continued to score goals, making 134 appearances and finishing first in two of his three seasons, setting a record transfer fee in the Italian league. Despite moving ahead of Messi in the overall scoring rankings of Europe’s premier competition, he never won the Champions League with Juventus. Instead, he made that progress on the Italian team. Additionally, he took home two league titles (2019, ’20).
MANCHESTER UNITED (2021-22)
Ronaldo tweeted on social media, “I’m back where I belong,” following his abrupt and surprising return to Manchester United, despite rumors that local rival Manchester City was interested in signing him. Juventus was offered a five-year contract for 15 million euros, or $17.75 million, in exchange for Ronaldo.
That wasn’t how things turned out. He still scored goals; he scored two in his debut game and 24 in all competitions. It includes hat tricks in back-to-back league games at home. However, his decreased mobility and work ethic hurt United as a team, and the team finished sixth in the 2021–22 campaign, prolonging its trophy drought to five years.
Due to what were referred to as “personal reasons,” Ronaldo returned to training later than usual and missed the beginning of this season. He essentially sought a transfer since United was not going to be able to play in the Champions League. After that, he became a small part player in a dispute with Erik ten Hag, United’s new manager, and gave an angry interview to Piers Morgan before the World Cup that marked the beginning of the end. Manchester United is undoubtedly the clubs that Cristiano Ronaldo holds nearest to his heart.
AL-NASSR (2023- PRESENT)
After a contentious departure from Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr. With a deal that runs until the summer of 2025, Ronaldo will reportedly make $75 million a year, making him the highest-paid athlete in history. After a heated TV interview, Ronaldo mutually terminated his contract and forced his way out of Old Trafford. Cristiano Ronaldo is rumored to desire to stay with Saudi Pro League team Al Nassr until 2027 as of the time of writing. Despite being 38 years old, Ronaldo has not shown any symptoms of slowing down. In 30 games in Saudi Arabia, he scored 25 goals, and he still plays international football for Portugal.
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