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November 26, 2024
We all started somewhere and Cristiano Ronaldo's career history is well known to most of his die-hard fans. The 39-year forward began his football journey in Portugal, with Sporting CP and has had quite an adventure so far...
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, often called simply Ronaldo, is one of the most celebrated, most beloved, and most respected footballers in the world. He has played for some of the top-tier clubs, he captains the Portuguese national team, and he has been honored with some of the most high-profile awards in football, including five Ballon d'Or awards, and a record three UEFA Men Player of the Year Awards. But, while most are familiar with Ronaldo at his peak, and now, there are those that would like to learn more about his early career.
Cristiano Ronaldo - How it all started:
Cristiano Ronaldo's personal life is not as interesting or as turbulent as the life of many celebrities that he could be compared to. He is a father to five children, with two women, and is currently in a relationship with Georgina Rodriguez, a Spanish model who is the mother of three of his kids. In 2023, the couple moved to Saudi Arabia, as Ronaldo was signed to the football club Al Nassr.
Ronaldo has said that he does not drink, nor does he smoke. In fact, his stance on drinking is so staunch that he has even pressed charges against certain news outlets who’ve reported that he was seen drinking at a night club. Ronaldo also has no tattoos, and regularly donates blood and bone marrow. The one indulgence that Ronaldo does have is that he seems to really enjoy poker.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been spotted several times playing high-stakes poker at casinos worldwide. The player has expressed his love for the game several times, and has frequented poker rooms worldwide. However, likely does not play at all now that he lives in Saudi Arabia, as gambling in any way is banned in the country. But, during his younger days, Ronaldo seems to have been a huge fan of various poker variants.
Ronaldo's football career began with the Portuguese club Sporting CP, specifically their youth teams, where he impressed his coaches, and fellow players. The team manager at the time promoted Ronaldo to the main team when he was only 17, and in August of 2002, he played his first, official, professional match.
The first game was a UEFA Champions League qualifying round, and saw Sporting CP play against Inter Milan, the Italian club that many consider to be one of Italy's best. Two months later, Ronaldo played in the Primeira Liga for the first time, scoring two goals in his debut. The young player's performance caught the attention of clubs from all over the world.
After his impressive introduction to the world of professional football, multiple clubs set their sights on Cristiano Ronaldo. Offers from Barcelona, Liverpool, and Arsenal came flooding in. However, when England’s top club at the time, Manchester United expressed interest in the young player, Ronaldo knew he had to answer the call.
In 2003, only a few months after his debut, Cristiano Ronaldo was signed to Manchester United. The Portuguese player debut as a substitute in a Premier League game, and got praise from fans, teammates, and the club's managers. It was soon after that that the young player would score his first Premier League goal, and take the first step towards his current legendary status.
Over the next six years, Cristiano Ronaldo would develop his playstyle and further his career as a member of the Red Devils. However, in 2009, Ronaldo would receive an offer that he could not refuse. The Spanish club, Real Madrid were interested. Real Madrid is, to this day, one of the best clubs in the world, if not the best. So, when they came knocking, Ronaldo had no choice but to accept their call.
Cristiano Ronaldo's career with Real Madrid is what truly propelled him to the legendary status that he enjoys today. Regarded by many as the best football player of his era, and certainly one of the greatest of all time, Ronaldo even at near 40-years-old, plays at an incredibly high level. He captains the Saudi team Al Nassr, as well as his home country's national team, and his legacy will not soon be forgotten.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al Nassr is on November 29, against Damac for the Saudi Pro League. You can watch Al Nassr vs Damac, Inter vs RB Leipzig, Barça vs Basel, Manchester City vs Feyenoord, Sporting CP vs Arsenal and Bayern Munich vs PSG, all matches provided from our soccer live game pages.
Al Nassr next game:
Al Nassr vs Damac kick-off time (29-11-2024):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+7: 21:40
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+4.30: 19:10
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+2: 16:40
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 15:40
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 14:40
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 11:40
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 10:40
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 07:40
Sources: ronaldo7.net / bbc.com / uefa.com
