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November 3, 2025
There are careers that shine bright for a few years, and then there's Ronaldo, a story that's spanned decades, continents, and five Ballon d'Or trophies. Each one tells a piece of who he is: the relentless worker, the showman, the perfectionist who refused to stop climbing even after reaching the top...
It's hard to put into words just how big those moments felt. When Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or in 2008, football shifted a little. He wasn't just the guy with stepovers at Manchester United anymore. He was the complete package: pace, precision, confidence, and an appetite for goals that bordered on obsession. That year was pure electricity. Ronaldo led United to Premier League and Champions League glory, scoring 42 goals in all competitions. The Ballon d’Or was almost inevitable. And when he held that golden sphere in Paris, the look in his eyes said everything: this is only the beginning.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Tie me down
After joining Real Madrid, Ronaldo didn’t just adapt, he exploded. By 2013, he lifted his second Ballon d’Or, closing the gap on Lionel Messi’s streak and reigniting one of the most fascinating rivalries in football history. You could feel the hunger in every match. He wasn’t just competing with defenders; he was competing with himself.
Then came 2014. Another Ballon d’Or. Another year of mind-bending stats and jaw-dropping moments. The goals piled up, the titles followed, and the “SIUUU” celebration became a global echo. What made those Real Madrid years special wasn’t just the records; it was how consistent he was. He’d make the extraordinary look routine.
By 2016, Ronaldo’s story added another layer. He had just led Portugal to an emotional European Championship triumph, his first major international trophy. That victory, followed by another Champions League title, secured his fourth Ballon d’Or. The fifth came just a year later, in 2017, tying Messi’s total at the time. Five golden orbs, five snapshots of dominance.
Each one represented evolution: from prodigy to icon, from scorer to leader, from pure talent to pure will.
Now, years later, Ronaldo’s still out there, this time in Saudi Arabia, wearing Al-Nassr’s yellow and blue. The environment’s different, but the fire hasn’t gone out. The club’s had an impressive run domestically, often entering matches as overwhelming favourites — bookmakers like TopBet România consistently list them with low odds, showing just how dominant they can be when Cristiano Ronaldo’s on the pitch.
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Ronaldo has now gone through 13 tournaments with Al-Nassr without winning one — the longest title drought of his career. For a man who’s built on winning, that’s a tough pill. Yet, in classic Ronaldo fashion, he hasn’t slowed down. He’s still scoring, still leading, still pushing.
It’s the kind of phase that tests legends. The ones who built their legacy on constant victory must now fight against the weight of expectation. And somehow, even that becomes part of the story.
Here’s the part people sometimes miss: even as the silverware stalls, the man is still chasing another form of immortality. Ronaldo’s goal tally has reached 950, inching closer to the mythical 1,000-goal milestone.
That’s not just a statistic. It’s an obsession, the same drive that once won him five Ballon d’Ors now fuels every strike, every free-kick, every header. While most players his age think about winding down, he’s counting forward. The chase might not glitter like Paris award nights, but it’s just as symbolic.
Because this is the essence of Cristiano Ronaldo: when the world thinks the story’s written, he adds another chapter.
Looking back, those five Ballon d’Or trophies aren’t just reminders of a peak: they’re proof of sustained excellence. But what makes Ronaldo’s story timeless is that it didn’t stop there. He’s still testing limits, still fighting for goals, still reminding everyone that greatness isn’t only about winning. It’s about showing up, again and again, when people think you’ve got nothing left to prove.
Five golden trophies. Thirteen dry tournaments. Nine hundred and fifty goals.
Different numbers, but all part of the same incredible human story.
He may no longer be collecting Ballons d’Or, but make no mistake, the race isn’t over. Not for him. Not yet.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al Nassr is on November 5, against Goa, for the Champions League Two. You can watch Al Nassr vs Goa, Liverpool vs Real Madrid, Juventus vs Sporting, Tottenham vs Copenhagen, Slavia Praha vs Arsenal and PSG vs Bayern Munich, all matches provided from our live football game pages.
Al Nassr next game:
Al Nassr vs Goa kick-off time (05-11-2025):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 02:00
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 23:30
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+3: 21:00
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 19:00
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 18:00
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 15:00
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 14:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 11:00
Sources: ronaldo7.net / theguardian.com / goal.com
