Cristiano Ronaldo.
Here are some key facts about the star player, Cristiano Ronaldo:
Early days
- Born February 5 1985 in Funchal, Madeira.
- Plays youth team football at Nacional before joining Sporting Lisbon in 2002.
Manchester United
- Alex Ferguson signs 18-year-old Ronaldo for about £12-million in August 2003 after an outstanding performance against his United side in a pre-season friendly.
- Named United’s 2003-2004 Player of the Year in his debut season and secures an FA Cup winners’ medal.
- United win the 2006-2007 Premier League title and Ronaldo is named Footballer of the Year in England and Portugal.
- Scores first Champions League goals in the main competition with a double in a 7-1 thrashing of AS Roma.
- Voted World Player of the Year having already become the third Portuguese to win Europe’s Ballon d’Or award following Eusebio in 1965 and Luis Figo in 2000.
- Scores 118 goals in 292 appearances for United.
Real Madrid
- Becomes the world’s most expensive player when he signs for Real for a fee of €94-million euros in 2009.
- Nets 26 goals in 29 La Liga appearances in 2009-2010 and seven in six Champions League outings but Real finish the season without any major silverware and coach Manuel Pellegrini is sacked and replaced by Ronaldo’s compatriot Jose Mourinho.
- Scores a Spanish record of 40 goals in 34 games in 2010-2011, including a superb header to win the King’s Cup final against Barcelona.
- Increases his best tally for a La Liga season to 46 goals in 38 games in 2011-2012 but is surpassed by Barça forward Lionel Messi, who scores 50 in 37 games. Real win La Liga.
- Has a poor season by his standards in 2012-2013 and Real fail to win major silverware, prompting Mourinho’s exit.
- Scores a single-season record 17 goals in the Champions League in 2013-2014 as Real secure a 10th European title. Nets a penalty in the final in a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid after extra time.
- Wins the Club World Cup as Real Madrid beat San Lorenzo 2-0 in the final. Claims Ballon d’Or award in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
- Scores the decisive spot kick in the penalty shoot out against Atletico to give Real their 11th Champions League title in 2016. — Reuters