On this day 39 years ago, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo was born. The Portuguese sensation is still going strong in Saudi Arabia and is still an important part of the Portugal national team after controlling European football, breaking multiple records, and winning every major trophy in Europe.
“I don’t follow records; records follow me,” At Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo spoke candidly about his greatness during his bittersweet second season. On Monday, Ronaldo, the legendary football player from Portugal, who is renowned for writing history and dominating goal-scoring charts in the world of competitive football, will turn 39. Ronaldo, one of the greatest players in the history of the beautiful game, led several elite leagues during his illustrious tenures at Juventus (Serie A), Real Madrid (La Liga), and Manchester United (English Premier League).
In 2003, the former star of Sporting moved to Old Trafford. Known by his nickname “CR7,” Ronaldo scored a goal against Greece in 2004 to mark his UEFA Euro debut. Ronaldo leads all goal scorers in the European Championship by five goals, ahead of Michel Platini, who is ranked second. At the UEFA Euro, no player has scored as many goals as Ronaldo (14) has. In men’s football, Ronaldo has also scored the most goals in both the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro finals combined. As the legendary Real Madrid and Manchester United player celebrates his 39th birthday today, let’s quickly review his five greatest accomplishments.
An emerging player from Sporting Lisbon named Cristiano Ronaldo piqued the interest of Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool in 2003. Arsene Wenger came dangerously close to luring Ronaldo to Arsenal, but the Liverpool manager at the time, Gerard Houllier, later acknowledged that they were unable to sign him because they could not meet his wage demands.
When Ronaldo scored goal number 110 in 2021, he overtook Ali Daei. Ronaldo’s brace for Portugal enabled him to surpass Daei’s then-record 109 goals. In his career, Ronaldo has scored more than 118 goals for his country. The Portugal mainstay made history in 2021 when he braced against the Republic of Ireland.
One of the explanations for Ronaldo’s UEFA Champions League nickname. The former Juventus and Real Madrid player has scored in three Champions League championship games. He currently holds the record for most goals scored in Champions League final games. In the summit matchups, Ronaldo has one goal for Manchester United and three for Real Madrid.
At the club level, the captain of Portugal is the all-time top goalscorer in the biggest competition in Europe. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 140 goals in the renowned competition. Throughout his trophy-filled career, the seasoned forward has lifted the coveted trophy five times. Additionally, Ronaldo has the most Champions League caps of any player. With 183 appearances in the Champions League, Ronaldo has a record.
