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January 15, 2026
Ronaldo’s football story reads like a career that refused to follow limits. From a raw kid on a small Atlantic island to a record-breaking force across Europe and beyond, his journey is defined by goals, obsession, and a relentless need to prove himself again and again...
Ronaldo has had an illustrious career spanning more than two decades and has played in many of the world’s prestigious leagues and tournaments. His story has many accolades and superlative performances but stands out in the sheer number of goals that he has scored. His story was even more remarkable from the perspective of the footballing culture, or lack thereof, in Ronaldo’s place of birth, Madeira Portugal. The prime focus of this discussion will be to highlight the various leagues and tournaments that Ronaldo played in, focusing on the impact he had on each of them. Get your Bongobongo bonus now and read more about Cristiano Ronaldo history in football.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Ready, set, go!
Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal, Madeira on the 5th of February, 1985. Growing up, Ronaldo and his family lived in a relatively low income household, but the strong local football culture exposed the family to the sport at a very early age. Ronaldo was known to be very competitive and was even tested for his coordination, speed, and competitiveness at a very young age.
• Childhood in Funchal and first steps in football
As a boy, Ronaldo began playing football at the Andorinha club, where his father worked. This club primarily had rudimentary facilities, so Ronaldo was fortunate that his father was able to secure some playing and training privileges. He was able to move to Nacional, one of the best football clubs in Madeira, to continue growing his development.
Ronaldo started to gain a reputation for his extraordinary pace and his ability to dribble and run at defenders. Because of these qualities, he was awarded a spot at a club on the mainland of Portugal at just 12 years old.
• The breakthrough at Sporting Lisbon: The game that changed everything
At just a teenage boy, Ronaldo had to move away from his family to join Sporting CP academy in Lisbon. He started to move up the age groups within the academy at a rapid pace and continued to improve his game.
Ronaldo's first big moment came in 2003 during a preseason exhibition game between Sporting CP and Man Utd. He showed an ability to go past Man Utd's defenders and beat them in 1v1 opportunities. Unlike most other players, Ronaldo was still performing well after the other players had started to slow down. This was a big part of the reason Man Utd signed him after the game.
In August 2003, Ronaldo signed with Man Utd, and this was his first move to a major club in the European leagues.
• Under Sir Alex Ferguson: Developing the CR7 identity
Ronaldo's game had to go through some polishing. Ferguson was going to work on the structure of some of the critical components that were in his decision making and in the finishing part of his game. Those elements, constructively, were some of the features of the game. Ronaldo now had to operate from a completely different position which was a complete departure from his primary position which was a winger.
Between 2003 and 2007, Ronaldo acquired a new arsenal of skills on the pitch that also included tactics. He was also able to score a greater number of goals than before. There was a part of a brand forming around Ronaldo that was based on his attributes and skills that included dominating in set pieces, aerial battles, and shooting from range. He added even more to that growing brand that was now beginning to be called CR7.
• 2008 Glory: The first Ballon d’Or and Champions League title
2007 and 2008 was phenomenal for Ronaldo. That was the first time any player scored 42 goals in a single season and also scored goals in the UEFA Champions League. He managed to execute an outstanding performance in the maximum number of domestic tournament matches. The highlight of that year was the inaugural Ballon d'Or which was a testimony to Ronaldo's breakthrough as an International Superstar.
• The emotional return to Old Trafford (2021–2022)
2021 marked the return of Ronaldo, one of the greatest players of all time to the Manchester United, the original completion of his legendary career. Although the squad was in shambles, he was the top goalscorer for the season. He scored goals beyond his quota and had to score the maximum goals for all the other players to achieve collective success.
Cristiano Ronaldo had his first relationship with an on-the-pitch Madrid club while winning many trophies and accolades. With Ronaldo’s signing in 2010, the Spanish League became one of the greatest leagues in the world.
• Becoming Real Madrid's all-time leading scorer
Cristiano, without an argument, is one of the greatest players the world has ever seen with countless accolades. Cristiano has broken the record for being La Liga’s top goal scorer for five consecutive seasons. Additionally, he’s the only player in La Liga’s history to score 450 goals in 438 matches, and that record has yet to be challenged. Cristiano has also brought depth to the game that most players do not possess. Most intelligent and exceptional, he has also been one of the greatest players in history.
• The Champions League dominance: Four titles in five years
In the history of the Champions League, the only player with 17 goals in one season as of 2026 is Cristiano Ronaldo. From 2014 to 2017, Ronaldo was the best player in the Champions League, winning 4 titles in those 3 years. With that kind of pressure, he accomplished something that no one in the history of professional football was able to do: score more goals than any other player in Champions League history, one of the greatest records in professional sports.
• The iconic rivalry with Lionel Messi in La Liga
La Liga in Spain may have had a lot to do with the creating of the La Liga Messi and Ronaldo commercial...
In July 2018, Ronaldo joined Juventus, giving him the chance to expand his already impressive resume by adding yet another major league. Ronaldo came from a top Spanish club after leaving Real Madrid, and this new team became his next challenge as a professional football player. At the time, the Serie A was considered one of the major leagues in football discussions worldwide, and many wanted to see Ronaldo perform in Italy after his dominant years in Spain.
• Challenging Serie A: Winning titles in a third major league
Ronaldo won 2 Serie A titles during his time at Juventus and went on to win domestic trophies such as the 2021 Coppa Italia final, where Ronaldo helped the team secure silverware. He was very active in the domestic league, but the Italian Football League, with its defensively structured leagues, requires a lot of adjustment to a more compact and complicated defensive structure. Still, Ronaldo was and always will be Juventus's top goalscorer during that period. His positioning and movements were an illustration of how well he was able to adapt to the varying playing styles of the league after joining a new soccer club.
• Statistical analysis of Ronaldo’s overall club play in Italy
Ronaldo achieved a unique career milestone whereby he scored over one hundred career goals in the Italian league during a three-year contract with the club. Moreover, Ronaldo famously became the first player in the history of the sport to accomplish the feat of being the top league goalscorer in England, Spain, and Italy, meaning Ronaldo became the first men’s player to score at such a level across three major leagues. During the 2020–2021 season, he was also top goalscorer in Serie A. This goes on to further prove Ronaldo's astounding level of performance and consistency in the first division of the Italian league. This period reinforced his status as a world player of the year contender even outside Spain and England.
Ronaldo’s parallel journey with the national team also explains the evolution of modern Portuguese football. Born on February 5 in Aveiro, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro is a Portuguese icon who has defined an era of international football. Ronaldo made his debut for the national side as a young player, and over time, Ronaldo led Portugal through multiple generations of international tournaments.
• Euro 2016 and Nations League 2019: The continental triumphs
While Euro 2016 was a historic, first international Portuguese national team trophy, Ronaldo had to miss the Grand Final due to an unfortunate on-field injury. Despite this, Ronaldo led from the sidelines and inspired his teammates, and Portugal went on to win the title. In 2019, Portugal’s national football team won the UEFA Nations League championship trophy after Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in the semifinals, scoring three goals that secured a place in the final. This achievement reinforced Ronaldo’s standing as a FIFA World Player–level performer on the international stage.
• Record-breaking legacy: The all-time leading international goalscorer
Ronaldo was the first player to become the world's leading international goalscorer in FIFA-recognized matches. He went on to set a number of other corresponding records for goals scored in international tournaments, international friendlies, and World Cup qualifying matches. Over time, Ronaldo became the first male player to reach several historic milestones, including becoming the player to score 900 career goals, later officially confirmed when he scored 900 career goals, making him the men’s player to score 900 at the international and club level combined.
Almost every footballer in the world hopes to compete in international tournaments. Luckily for Ronaldo, he’s been picked to compete in the World Cup on several occasions.
• Scoring in five consecutive tournaments: A unique World Cup record
It’s an unbelievable achievement to score in five different World Cups. Ronaldo’s resume has this achievement listed, which also serves to showcase that he was a threat in the first-round matches, and can score in any stage of the tournament, regardless of the defensive line.
• Looking ahead: Cristiano Ronaldo and the 2026 World Cup outlook
Fans have started wondering if Ronaldo will play in the World Cup 2026. Whether he steps on that field or not, the record will remain the same, and will further extend his legacy as one of the greatest of all time.
• How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored in his career?
As of now, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored more than 940 goals, be it club level goals or international level goals.
• How many Ballon d'Or awards does he have?
Ronaldo has five total Ballon d’Or awards.
• When did he start playing for the Portugal National Team?
Ronaldo has played with the Portugal national team since 2003.
• Which team does he play for now in club play?
Ronaldo still has a big influence even outside of Europe. He has recently moved his club career outside of Europe.
• What is Ronaldo's most important trophy with Portugal?
Ronaldo’s biggest achievement with Portugal is winning the Euro 2016. It is Portugal’s first major trophy in football.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al Nassr is on January 17, against Al Shabab, for the Saudi Super League. You can watch Al Nassr vs Al Shabab, Real Madrid vs Levante, Racing Santander vs Barcelona, Manchester United vs Manchester City, Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal and PSG vs Lille, all matches provided from our football live game pages.
Al Nassr next game:
Al Nassr vs Al Shabab kick-off time (17-01-2026):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 01:30
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 23:00
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+3: 20:30
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 18:30
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 17:30
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 14:30
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 13:30
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 10:30
Sources: ronaldo7.net / cnbc.com / espn.com
