The Greatest Footballer........Cristiano Ronaldo
Full Name Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Date of Birth 5th of February 1985 (Monday)
Place of Birth Funchal (Madeira island, Portugal)
Nationality Portuguese
Marital Status Single
Current Girlfriend none
Height 1.84m
Weight 78.00kg
City of Birth Madeira
Zodiac Sign Aquarius
Chinese Zodiac Sign Ox
Favourite Colour White
Childhood Nickname Kluivert (from Patrick Kluivert)
Childhood Team Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Childhood Hero Maradona
Current Heroes Luis Figo and Thierry Henry
Person you`d most like to meet Mike Tyson
Favourite Moviestar Jean Claude Vandamme
Favourite Movies "The Sixth Sense" and "The Rock"
Favourite Actress Angelina Jolie
Favourite Charlie`s Angel Drew Barrymore
Favourite Music Dance Music
Favourite meal "Bacalhau a Braz"
(a Portuguese cod fish,
made with potatoes and scrambled eggs)
Drink "Santal" (Regional fruit drink)
Hobbies Going for walks, going to the cinema,
listening to music and sometimes just spending time alone.
Girlfriend Status No girlfriend
Date of Birth 5th of February 1985 (Monday)
Place of Birth Funchal (Madeira island, Portugal)
Nationality Portuguese
Marital Status Single
Current Girlfriend none
Height 1.84m
Weight 78.00kg
City of Birth Madeira
Zodiac Sign Aquarius
Chinese Zodiac Sign Ox
Favourite Colour White
Childhood Nickname Kluivert (from Patrick Kluivert)
Childhood Team Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Childhood Hero Maradona
Current Heroes Luis Figo and Thierry Henry
Person you`d most like to meet Mike Tyson
Favourite Moviestar Jean Claude Vandamme
Favourite Movies "The Sixth Sense" and "The Rock"
Favourite Actress Angelina Jolie
Favourite Charlie`s Angel Drew Barrymore
Favourite Music Dance Music
Favourite meal "Bacalhau a Braz"
(a Portuguese cod fish,
made with potatoes and scrambled eggs)
Drink "Santal" (Regional fruit drink)
Hobbies Going for walks, going to the cinema,
listening to music and sometimes just spending time alone.
Girlfriend Status No girlfriend
He began kicking a football when he was three, and when he started primary school at age six, his passion for the sport was obvious. His favourite boyhood team was SL Benfica even though he would later join their rival, Sporting. He first played for an amateur team, Andorinha, where his father was the kit man, when he was just eight years old. By 1995, at just ten years of age, Cristiano Ronaldo's reputation was growing in Portugal. Madeira's top two teams, CS Marítimo and CD Nacional were both interested in signing him. Marítimo, the bigger team, missed a crucial meeting with Rui Santos, Ronaldo's manager at Andorinha, and as a result, Ronaldo signed for Nacional. After a title-winning campaign at Nacional, Ronaldo went on a three day trial with Sporting who subsequently signed him for an undisclosed sum.
Ronaldo joined Sporting's other youth players who trained at the Alcochete, the club's "football factory," where he received first-class instruction. In his first few months in Lisbon, he had to defend himself from the rest of the local players as they had taunted him over his Madeiran accent. A growth spurt had also obstructed his progress at the club. However, Ronaldo eventually went on to become the only player in Sporting’s history to play for the Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, B team and first-team within a season. Sporting realised that Ronaldo needed more support and arranged for his mother to join him. He scored two goals on his Sporting debut against Moreirense. He also featured for Portugal in the UEFA Under 17 Championships.
His performances at the UEFA Under 17 championship drew him to the attention of the wider football world. He was first spotted by former Liverpool F.C. manager Gérard Houllier at the age of 16. However, Liverpool later declined him because he was too young and needed some time to develop into a top footballer. However, he came to the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson in the summer of 2003, when Sporting beat Manchester United 3-1 in the inauguration of the Alvalade XXI stadium in Lisbon. Ronaldo demonstrated his ability to play on both wings. His performance in the match impressed the Manchester United players, who spoke to their manager about a possible transfer bid for Ronaldo
Ferguson decided that he wanted Ronaldo for his team, who were in the market for a right-sided midfielder with the departure of David Beckham to Real Madrid; Ronaldo was signed for a fee of £12.24 million, becoming the club's first ever Portuguese player. Ronaldo was handed the number 7 shirt on his arrival, a shirt number that has belonged to some of the greatest Manchester United legends, such as George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham. Ronaldo initially asked for the number 28 which he wore at Sporting, as he did not want the pressure of living up to the expectation linked to the number 7 shirt. "After I joined, the manager asked me what number I'd like. I said 28. But Ferguson said 'no, you're going to have No. 7' and the famous shirt was an extra source of motivation. I was forced to live up to such an honour".
Ronaldo had previously played for Portugal at the 2002 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and at the U18 and U21 level. He eventually made his full international debut in August 2003, coming on in the second half of a 1-0 victory against Kazakhstan. Ronaldo scored Portugal's only goal in their 2-1 loss to Greece in the opening match of Euro 2004 and the first goal of the semi final against the Netherlands, which Portugal won 2-1. The final saw a rematch of the opening game of the tournament, with Greece once again emerging victorious. Even though Ronaldo could not add to his two goals, his performances at the tournament earned him a place in the team of the tournament.
Ronaldo subsequently represented Portugal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and was the second highest scorer in FIFA World Cup qualification in the European zone with 7 goals.
Ronaldo scored his first World Cup goal against Iran with a penalty kick. In the Round of 16, he left Portugal's 1-0 win over Netherlands injured after a high tackle by Khalid Boulahrouz. However, he returned in the next match in the quarter - final against England.
Ronaldo was named the national team captain for the first time in a friendly match against Brazil on February 6, 2007, a day after his 22nd birthday. This move was in honour of the Portuguese Football Federation president, Carlos Silva, who had died two days before. Scolari explained, "Mr. Silva asked me to make him captain as a gesture. He thought the English fans would give him a difficult time and this was a response. He is too young to be captain but Mr. Silva asked me and now he is no longer with us."
Ronaldo scored a total of 8 goals in Portugal's UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.
Ronaldo subsequently represented Portugal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and was the second highest scorer in FIFA World Cup qualification in the European zone with 7 goals.
Ronaldo scored his first World Cup goal against Iran with a penalty kick. In the Round of 16, he left Portugal's 1-0 win over Netherlands injured after a high tackle by Khalid Boulahrouz. However, he returned in the next match in the quarter - final against England.
Ronaldo was named the national team captain for the first time in a friendly match against Brazil on February 6, 2007, a day after his 22nd birthday. This move was in honour of the Portuguese Football Federation president, Carlos Silva, who had died two days before. Scolari explained, "Mr. Silva asked me to make him captain as a gesture. He thought the English fans would give him a difficult time and this was a response. He is too young to be captain but Mr. Silva asked me and now he is no longer with us."
Ronaldo scored a total of 8 goals in Portugal's UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.
On 8 July 2006, after the sending off of United team-mate Wayne Rooney for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho in the Quarter Final of the 2006 World Cup between England and Portugal, there was much speculation in the English media that he had influenced Rooney's red card by complaining aggressively to the referee. He was also seen in replays winking to the Portuguese bench after Rooney's dismissal. Ronaldo has said that Rooney was a friend, and that he was not trying to get Rooney a red card. Rooney said, "I bear no ill feeling to Cristiano but am disappointed that he chose to get involved. I suppose I do, though, have to remember that on that particular occasion we were not team-mates."However, on 4 July, Elizondo told The Times that the red card was due to the stamp on Carvalho, and not the scuffle afterwards. He said "It was violent play and therefore he got a red card. People can say what they want (about Ronaldo) but this had absolutely no influence. For me it was a clear red card, so I didn't react to the Portuguese players."
The Sun published a dart board with a picture of Ronaldo as the bull's-eye in a similar fashion to the one made after the 1998 World Cup for David Beckham by The Daily Mirror, another English tabloid.The angry reaction in England forced Ronaldo to consider leaving United. After the incident, he told reporters that he thought he "should get out of Manchester as the circumstances are not right to keep playing there". He allegedly told the Spanish sports daily Marca that he wished to move to Real Madrid.
In response to the speculation, Sir Alex Ferguson sent his assistant manager Carlos Queiroz to speak to Ronaldo in Portugal, hoping to change the young player's mind, whilst Rooney pleaded with Ronaldo not to leave the team. Ronaldo chose to stay on at United and signed a new five-year contract months later.
Ronaldo was booed by French and English fans during Portugal's semi-final defeat against France, and missed out on the tournament's Best Young Player award, due to an e-mail campaign against him by England fans. Though the online vote only affected the nomination process, FIFA Technical Study Group awarded the honours to Germany's Lukas Podolski, citing Ronaldo's behaviour
as a factor.
The Sun published a dart board with a picture of Ronaldo as the bull's-eye in a similar fashion to the one made after the 1998 World Cup for David Beckham by The Daily Mirror, another English tabloid.The angry reaction in England forced Ronaldo to consider leaving United. After the incident, he told reporters that he thought he "should get out of Manchester as the circumstances are not right to keep playing there". He allegedly told the Spanish sports daily Marca that he wished to move to Real Madrid.
In response to the speculation, Sir Alex Ferguson sent his assistant manager Carlos Queiroz to speak to Ronaldo in Portugal, hoping to change the young player's mind, whilst Rooney pleaded with Ronaldo not to leave the team. Ronaldo chose to stay on at United and signed a new five-year contract months later.
Ronaldo was booed by French and English fans during Portugal's semi-final defeat against France, and missed out on the tournament's Best Young Player award, due to an e-mail campaign against him by England fans. Though the online vote only affected the nomination process, FIFA Technical Study Group awarded the honours to Germany's Lukas Podolski, citing Ronaldo's behaviour
as a factor.
One of only two players to have won both the PFA Players' Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year awards in the same year, the other being Andy Gray in 1977.
Also won the PFA Fans' Player of the Year award in 2007, becoming the first player to win all three Professional Footballers Association awards in one season.
Only the third player in Premier League history to win back-to-back Barclays Player of the Month awards, and the first since the 1997-1998 season.
Only the second player in the history of English football to be named both the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year and PFA Players' Player of the Year in successive seasons.
Holds the Premier League record for most goals scored in one season by a midfielder, having scored 31 times during the 2007-2008 Premier League campaign.
Having declared his desire for a move to the Bernabeu earlier this week Ronaldo let his football do the talking, burnishing his reputation as the world's leading player with a potent exhibition of wing play.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Wing and a prayer: Cristiano Ronaldo turned in a glittering display for Portugal against Turkey
"Cristiano Ronaldo was very motivated, very determined and that's what we expected from him," said Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Portugal coach. "Maybe he did not do so well in the first 30 minutes but he helped us a lot. He played the way we like and we are really satisfied with his display."
Cristiano Ronaldo
Wing and a prayer: Cristiano Ronaldo turned in a glittering display for Portugal against Turkey
"Cristiano Ronaldo was very motivated, very determined and that's what we expected from him," said Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Portugal coach. "Maybe he did not do so well in the first 30 minutes but he helped us a lot. He played the way we like and we are really satisfied with his display."
Ronaldo, who had an audacious long-range free-kick turned on to the post, contributed to both goals, starting the move that led to Kleper Pepe's opener before laying the groundwork for Raul Meireles second with an incisive raid along the left flank.
That Pepe plies his trade at the Bernabeu will have done little to temper the ire of Sir Alex Ferguson. The United manager has been enraged by Madrid's overtures and frustrated in his attempts to contact Ronaldo, who has reportedly failed to return his calls.
Ronaldo's team-mate, the Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho, offered a more positive assessment of the midfielder's Old Trafford future, however.
"I think he is happy in England and he's doing very well," said Carvalho. "He has a contract with Manchester United, so he has to play in England."
In an indication of his pivotal role in the Portugal team, Scolari handed Ronaldo the captain's armband following the second-half withdrawal of Nuno Gomes. "The idea was to give Christiano a boost, make him have more willingness, forget his tiredness, make that extra pass," he explained
Portugal's ominous display came as Scolari assumed pole position in the race to become the new Chelsea manager. While Scolari was busy orchestrating a possible reprise of Portugal's run to the 2004 final, AC Milan responded dismissively to reports suggesting that Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon had flown to Lombardy in an attempt to lure their manager, Carlo Ancelotti, away from the San Siro. "I know where Peter is and he is not in Milan," Umberto Gandini, the Milan operations director, told The Sunday Telegraph. "He is not talking to our coach because we said we would not release him. That I can guarantee 100 per cent. We received a direct and open approach from Chelsea and we told them no."
He also suggested last night that Inter Milan's former coach Roberto Mancini was no longer in the running. "I don't think Roberto Mancini is a target for Chelsea but I may be wrong," said Gandini. "That's only a personal opinion but I talk to people."
All of which appears to leave the door open for Scolari once Euro 2008 is over. His appointment would cause little surprise in Moscow, where sources close to Roman Abramovich have long insisted that the Brazilian is the Chelsea owner's preferred choice.
That Pepe plies his trade at the Bernabeu will have done little to temper the ire of Sir Alex Ferguson. The United manager has been enraged by Madrid's overtures and frustrated in his attempts to contact Ronaldo, who has reportedly failed to return his calls.
Ronaldo's team-mate, the Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho, offered a more positive assessment of the midfielder's Old Trafford future, however.
"I think he is happy in England and he's doing very well," said Carvalho. "He has a contract with Manchester United, so he has to play in England."
In an indication of his pivotal role in the Portugal team, Scolari handed Ronaldo the captain's armband following the second-half withdrawal of Nuno Gomes. "The idea was to give Christiano a boost, make him have more willingness, forget his tiredness, make that extra pass," he explained
Portugal's ominous display came as Scolari assumed pole position in the race to become the new Chelsea manager. While Scolari was busy orchestrating a possible reprise of Portugal's run to the 2004 final, AC Milan responded dismissively to reports suggesting that Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon had flown to Lombardy in an attempt to lure their manager, Carlo Ancelotti, away from the San Siro. "I know where Peter is and he is not in Milan," Umberto Gandini, the Milan operations director, told The Sunday Telegraph. "He is not talking to our coach because we said we would not release him. That I can guarantee 100 per cent. We received a direct and open approach from Chelsea and we told them no."
He also suggested last night that Inter Milan's former coach Roberto Mancini was no longer in the running. "I don't think Roberto Mancini is a target for Chelsea but I may be wrong," said Gandini. "That's only a personal opinion but I talk to people."
All of which appears to leave the door open for Scolari once Euro 2008 is over. His appointment would cause little surprise in Moscow, where sources close to Roman Abramovich have long insisted that the Brazilian is the Chelsea owner's preferred choice.
As Manchester United struggle to keep him at Old Trafford and Real Madrid attempt to lure him to Spain, the 23-year-old playmaker showed why the European giants are battling for his services with an impressive performance.
After Barcelona's Deco had given Portugal an eighth-minute lead, the Czechs hit back with a brilliant header from midfielder Libor Sionko on 17 minutes, before Ronaldo sealed the game with a superb shot in the 63rd minute.
And he then turned provider for Portuguese substitute Ricardo Quaresmo to score a third goal in extra-time.
After both sides had got off to winning starts last Saturday in their Euro 2008 Group A campaigns, the result leaves the Portuguese on six points and all but sure to reach the last eight.
After Barcelona's Deco had given Portugal an eighth-minute lead, the Czechs hit back with a brilliant header from midfielder Libor Sionko on 17 minutes, before Ronaldo sealed the game with a superb shot in the 63rd minute.
And he then turned provider for Portuguese substitute Ricardo Quaresmo to score a third goal in extra-time.
After both sides had got off to winning starts last Saturday in their Euro 2008 Group A campaigns, the result leaves the Portuguese on six points and all but sure to reach the last eight.
Only the second player in the history of English football to be named both the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year and PFA Players' Player of the Year in successive seasons.
Holds the Premier League record for most goals scored in one season by a midfielder, having scored 31 times during the 2007-2008 Premier League campaign.
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