Cristiano Ronaldo has left a legacy on soccer like few—if any—players in the history of the beautiful game.
The greatest goalscorer the sport has ever seen, Ronaldo has dazzled fans everywhere he has played, from his native Portugal to England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia, breaking records and collecting trophies at an astonishing rate.
Off the field, he is just as recognizable. A global superstar and business mogul, Ronaldo’s life has been under the spotlight ever since he burst onto the scene as a teenager, with his name and influence remaining impossible to ignore for more than two decades.
With that in mind, Sports Illustrated takes a look at 25 fascinating facts about Ronaldo, including his records, achievements and some lesser-known details about his life away from soccer.
Early Life Facts About Ronaldo
1. Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on Feb. 5, 1985, in the São Pedro district of Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira.
2. Sporting CP signed Ronaldo from Nacional’s youth setup in 1997 for a fee of around $2,000 when he was just 12 years old.
3. Ronaldo was expelled from school at the age of 14 after reportedly throwing a chair at a teacher who had mocked both him and his family’s financial struggles.
4. Growing up, Ronaldo idolized Brazilian superstars Ronaldo Nazário and Ronaldinho.
5. As a teenager, Ronaldo was diagnosed with tachycardia—a heart condition that could have ended his soccer career prematurely had he not undergone corrective surgery.
Career Facts About Ronaldo
6. Ronaldo is the first and only player in soccer history to score 100 competitive goals for four different clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al Nassr.
7. The FIFA Puskás Award was introduced in 2009, with Ronaldo becoming the very first winner thanks to his stunning long-range strike for Manchester United against Porto.
8. Ronaldo became the most expensive player in soccer history in 2009 when Real Madrid signed him from Manchester United for around $130 million, although the record was later broken by Gareth Bale, Paul Pogba and Neymar.
9. Ronaldo helped fire Portugal to the first major trophies in the nation’s history, playing a key role in their triumphs at Euro 2016 as well as the 2019 and 2025 UEFA Nations League titles.
10. Ronaldo is also the only player in history to finish as top scorer in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A.
Facts About Ronaldo’s Personal Life
11. Cristiano Ronaldo has five children: Cristiano Jr., twins Eva and Mateo, Alana Martina and Bella Esmeralda.
12. Ronaldo is in a relationship with Argentine-Spanish model Georgina Rodríguez, with the pair becoming engaged in August 2025.
13. Unlike many soccer players, Ronaldo has no tattoos.
14. Ronaldo’s father, José, died in September 2005 at the age of 52 from a liver condition linked to alcoholism. Ronaldo, who was just 20 at the time, has since famously avoided alcohol himself.
15. Ronaldo is the most-followed person on Instagram, with more than 666 million followers.
Fun Facts About Ronaldo
16. Ronaldo owns his own hotel in Funchal, Madeira, with the venue located alongside a museum dedicated to his life and legendary career.
17. Madeira’s main airport was officially renamed Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in honor of the Portuguese icon and his achievements in soccer.
18. Ronaldo’s middle name, “Ronaldo,” was chosen because his father was a huge admirer of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan.
19. His famous “Siuuu!” celebration actually happened by accident. After scoring against Chelsea in 2013, Ronaldo instinctively jumped into the air and shouted the phrase—Spanish slang for “yes!”—with the celebration quickly becoming one of the most iconic in sports.
20. Thanks to his career taking him across Europe, Ronaldo speaks multiple languages fluently, including Portuguese, English, Spanish and Italian.
Records and Achievements
21. Cristiano Ronaldo is Real Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer, having scored 450 goals for the Spanish giants.
22. The Portuguese superstar has won five Ballon d’Or awards, the second-most in history behind Lionel Messi’s eight.
23. Ronaldo is the highest goalscorer in the history of both men’s international soccer and the sport overall at senior level.
24. Across his career, Ronaldo has won 34 major trophies, including five UEFA Champions League titles and the UEFA European Championship with Portugal.
