Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
Cristiano Ronaldo
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
Five-time Ballon d'Or winner One of the greatest goal scorers Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo A football legend Cristiano Ronaldo
For Students
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo summary
Quizzes
Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)
Great Moments in Sports Quiz
Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics
Sports Quiz
Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after breaking the world record with a time of 19.30 to win the gold medal as Churandy Martina (left) of Netherlands Antilles and Brian Dzingai of Zimbabwe come in after him in the Men's 200m Final at the National Stadium during Day 12 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 20, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Summer Olympics, track and field, athletics)
I Am the Greatest (Athlete)
Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.
American Sports Nicknames
Antoine Griezmamm of France kicks the ball during the FIFA 2018 World Cup in the finals match between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia, July 15, 2018. (soccer, football, sports)
FIFA Men’s World Cup Quiz
Related Questions
Read Next
soccer ball in the goal
Why Do Some People Call Football “Soccer”?
International flags on soccer balls. Futbol football. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics soccer world cup
Olympics: Football (Soccer)
Car with a pickle design in the Zagreb Red Bull Soapbox Race, Zagreb, Croatia, September 14, 2019. (games, races, sports)
10 Unusual Sports
NBA Lakers Celtics Finals Kevin Garnett shooting.
10 Great Sports Rivalries
golf. Competitive and cheating golfer wears golf gloves on golf club greens and prepares golf ball for lucky hole in one. Unsportsmanlike, sports, cheater
7 Unsportsmanlike Sportsmen
Discover
Santa Claus flying in his sleigh, christmas, reindeer
Was Santa Claus a Real Person?
Diverse elementary school children wearing school uniforms running outside of school. Boys girls
Pro and Con: School Uniforms
Los Angeles Police Department wanted flyer on Elizabeth Short, aka the "Black Dahlia," who was brutally murdered in January 1947. The FBI supported the Los Angeles Police Department in the case, including by identifying Short through her fingerprints that
America’s 5 Most Notorious Cold Cases (Including One You May Have Thought Was Already Solved)
New York NY/ USA- November 23, 2018 Hordes of shoppers throng the Macy's Herald Square flagship store in New York looking for bargains on the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday.
Why Is It Called Black Friday?
Title: Senate Square, St. Petersburg, December 14, 1825: repression of the troop mutiny - watercolor by Carl Ivanovitch Kollman, 1825 depicts Decembrist uprising clashing with cavalry, with spectators watching. (new style December 26, 1825) Europe. Saint
8 of the Largest Empires in History
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution
Thanksgiving Turkey with all the sides
Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?

Cristiano Ronaldo: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/Cristiano-Ronaldo
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Cristiano Ronaldo, a Portuguese football player, is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Born in 1985, Ronaldo has had a highly successful career playing for top clubs such as Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. He has won numerous titles, including multiple domestic league titles and UEFA Champions League titles. Ronaldo has also excelled individually, winning several FIFA Ballon d'Or awards for the best player in the world.

Facts

Also Known As Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Born February 5, 1985 (age 39) • Funchal • Portugal

Top Questions

What was the first professional football club Cristiano Ronaldo played for?
Cristiano Ronaldo's first professional football club was Sporting CP, where he made his professional debut on September 29, 2002, against Braga in the Primeira Liga.
How many Ballon d'Or awards has Cristiano Ronaldo won?
Cristiano Ronaldo has won a record-tying five Ballon d'Or awards for player of the year.
When and where was Cristiano Ronaldo born?
Cristiano Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.
What significant event in Ronaldo's career happened in 2008?
In 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo set a franchise record for goals scored at Manchester United and won his first Ballon d'Or award for player of the year.

Did You Know?

  • Ronaldo was named after Ronald Reagan, who was his father's favorite actor.
  • Ronaldo has worn four different shirt numbers over his career: 28, 17, 9, and 7.
  • Ronaldo became the first player to score in five World Cup editions.

Photos

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner
One of the greatest goal scorers
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
A football legend
Cristiano Ronaldo
See All Images →
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
French football player
Fabio Cannavaro
Italian football player
Il Fenomeno
Ronaldo
Brazilian athlete
Kaká
Kaká
Brazilian football player
Roberto Baggio
Italian football player
Michel Platini
Michel Platini
French football player and administrator
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Argentine-born football player
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
British football player
Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto’o
Cameroonian athlete
David Beckham
David Beckham
British athlete
Michael Essien
Ghanaian athlete
Sir Alex Ferguson after Manchester United won the 2008 Champions League final, Moscow.
Alex Ferguson
Scottish football player and manager
Eric Cantona
French football player
Diego Forlán
Diego Forlán
Uruguayan football player
The Galloping Major
Ferenc Puskás
Hungarian football player
Iván Zamorano
Iván Zamorano
Chilean soccer player
George Best
George Best
Irish-born football player
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Argentine-born athlete
Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
British football player and manager
Sir Matthew Busby
British athlete and coach

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
Antoine Griezmamm of France kicks the ball during the FIFA 2018 World Cup in the finals match between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia, July 15, 2018. (soccer, football, sports)
FIFA Men’s World Cup Quiz
Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)
Great Moments in Sports Quiz
Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after breaking the world record with a time of 19.30 to win the gold medal as Churandy Martina (left) of Netherlands Antilles and Brian Dzingai of Zimbabwe come in after him in the Men's 200m Final at the National Stadium during Day 12 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 20, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Summer Olympics, track and field, athletics)
I Am the Greatest (Athlete)
Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.
American Sports Nicknames
Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics
Sports Quiz
Antoine Griezmamm of France kicks the ball during the FIFA 2018 World Cup in the finals match between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia, July 15, 2018. (soccer, football, sports)
FIFA Men’s World Cup Quiz
Demystified
soccer ball in the goal
Why Do Some People Call Football “Soccer”?