Team Neemopani
Yesterday marks the 39th birthday of renowned Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo, who was born on February 5, 1985.
In 2003, at the age of 16, he made his professional debut with the Portuguese team Sporting Lisbon. Fast-forward to 2024, and 21 years later, he is still ruling the football world.
With 54 goals, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner concluded 2023 as the best scorer, surpassing players like Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland.
Check out these amazing facts about the European champion on his 39th birthday.
1. Arsenal and Liverpool’s interest
In 2003, Ronaldo made his debut in front of the world in a preseason friendly against Manchester United, who eventually signed him a few days later. Nonetheless, Liverpool and Arsenal showed a lot of interest in the Portuguese genius. The Reds boss later acknowledged that Ronaldo’s salary demands prevented them from signing him.
2. The Galaxy CR7
Astronomers under the direction of David Sobral found a galaxy in 2015, which they named Cosmos Redshift 7, or CR7, after Ronaldo’s initials. The galaxy was named after the Portuguese, the experts confirmed, and it wasn’t a coincidence.
3. University Course
In 2015, the University of British Columbia Okanagan, a Canadian university, began providing a sociology course on Cristiano Ronaldo’s life to its students.
4. Airport Cristiano Ronaldo
The Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport will replace Madeira Airport, the Portuguese government announced in 2016. Additionally, the rebranded terminal had its official unveiling in 2017.
5. A Ballon d’Or sold for charity
Ronaldo’s participation in blood donation and social work initiatives makes him one of the very few football players in the world without a tattoo or drink habit. In a similar vein, he is a well-known benefactor. The Portuguese made a staggering £600,000 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2017 by selling a replica of one of his Ballon d’Or awards.
Apart from that, Ronaldo, who has scored 128 goals for Portugal, is the player with the most caps for his country (205). Additionally, he leads the UEFA Champions League in scoring (140).
It is important to remember that Ronaldo has played for some of the top teams in the world, including Juventus, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, where he quickly made history and rose to fame.
Ronaldo amassed 450 goals—a record that is probably going to stand—and 131 assists in 438 games while playing for Real Madrid.
During his two stints at Man United, the forward amassed 145 goals and 64 assists.
Ronaldo claimed numerous UEFA Champions League titles and the Ballon d’Or five times during his 21-year career.
