Cristiano Ronaldo, aka CR7, is a Portuguese professional football player. Born in orn in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, Romaldo played soccer from a young age, eventually beginning his sporting career on the youth sports teams with Sporting CP at age 12. Excelled at his training and his studies before eventually signing with Manchester United in 2003 at age 18 for £12 million.

Ronaldo became the team’s first Portuguese player, and his skill eventually led him to be one of the rising stars within the industry at the time. Ronaldo amassed a number of awards during his first professional season, becoming the first player to win all four main PFA and FWA honours. Ronaldo’s time with the team lasted until 2009, when he transferred to Real Madrid for a record £80 million. There, he would continue setting records and winning awards and honors, like being named the UEFA Best Player in Europe, winning the European Golden Shoe, the Best Player in La Liga award, and much more.

Since then, Ronaldo has easily become one of the most recognizable athletes across the globe and is considered by Sportico to be the third-highest-paid athlete in the world. Additionally, Forbes named Ronaldo the world’s highest-paid athlete on five occasions, the Athlete of the Year from 2023 to 2025. Currently, Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr, after returning to Manchester United in 2021.