Cristiano Ronaldo profile
Name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Birth date: February 5, 1985
Birthplace: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Height: 186.5 cm
Playing position: Left/right winger, striker
First club: Sporting Lisbon
Career debut: 1999 vs Moreirense
Current club: Real Madrid
International team: Portugal
Int’l debut: August 20, 2003 vs Kazakhstan
Cristiano Ronaldo biography
Ronaldo started playing competitive football at the age of eight for amateur club Andorinha, and then for local team CD Nacional when he was 10. He moved to Sporting CP, one of Portugal’s largest football clubs in 1996.
Ronaldo trained in the youth team before making his senior debut in 1999 against Moreirense in which he scored a brace. He made his European debut in a Champions League qualifier against Inter.
Ronaldo played for Portugal’s youth side in the UEFA U-17 Championships and drew attention internationally.
Liverpool under manager Gérard Houllier back then was reported to have interest in signing Ronaldo; and it was also revealed later that Arsenal was closed to signing him before his move to Manchester United in 2003.
Ronaldo’s signature came after Sporting defeated United 3–1; on the way back to England the United players spoke enthusiastically about the young winger and suggested manager Sir Alex Ferguson to secure his signature, which he did for a price of £12.24 million.
Ronaldo made a memorable debut for Manchester United as a substitute against Bolton; his 30 minutes performances created hype with United fans and the English media with his dazzling dribbles. He scored his first goal for the club with a free kick in a 3–0 win over Portsmouth in November.
Despite promising starts, his first two seasons at the club received mixed reviews; he’s being praised for his skills, but also often criticised for lack of consistency and poor decision making on the field.
Ronaldo made his senior debut for Portugal shortly after being signed by United in a match against Kazakhstan in August 2003.
A controversy broke out in World Cup 2006 where Ronaldo was alleged to influence the referee to send off his United team mate and England striker Wayne Rooney in their quarter finals clash.
Ronaldo was being used as the scapegoat for England’s defeat in the World Cup and the hatred towards him had prompted his intention to leave England and United. In the end United managed to keep him, and Ronaldo had a great season in the Premiership against all odds.
Ronaldo won both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year Award in 2007; the first player since 1977 to bag the double in the same season.
Ronaldo was also voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association; and was the top 3 finalists for both the FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year awards in 2007.
Ronaldo continued his fine form in the 2007/2008 season, netted in 42 goals in all competition (31 in Premier League), and was again voted as the PFA Player of The Year and Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year.
His performance contributed to United’s double for the season; winning the Premiership in succession as well as bringing home the UEFA Champions League trophy, in which he scored a goal in the final.
Ronaldo was crowned as both the FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year in 2008.
Ronaldo scored 26 goals in the 2008/09 season, helping United to another Premiership title, and again reached the final of the Champions League in which they lost to Barcelona.
Ronaldo became the world’s most expensive football player following his move from Manchester United to Real Madrid in July 2009 in a £80 million transfer. He was welcome by 80,000 fans in the Santiago Bernabéu stadium during his official presentation.
Ronaldo’s Real Madrid career started well and was untouchable form until his injury in October.
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