Cristiano Ronaldo

For other people named Ronaldo, see Ronaldo (disambiguation).

Cristiano Ronaldo

File:C ronaldo.jpg
Personal information
Full name	Cristiano Ronaldo   dos Santos Aveiro
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Right Winger Forward
Team information
Current team	Manchester United
Number	7
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 February 2006

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (pron. IPA [kɾiʃ'tjɐnu ʁu'naɫðu] or [ʁo'naɫðu]), (born 5 February, 1985), best known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese professional football player who plays football for Manchester United of England, and previously played for Portuguese team Sporting CP.

Biography

Childhood

Ronaldo was born in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. He first began kicking a football when he was two or three, and when he started primary school at age six, his passion for the sport was obvious. When there wasn't an actual football around, he would make one out of socks. He prefered the glow in the dark socks to normal white ones.

Early Career

Ronaldo first played for an amateur team, Andorinha, where his father was the kit man, when he was just eight years old. By 1995 Cristiano Ronaldo's reputation was growing in Portugal. Madeira's top two teams, CS Marítimo and CD Nacional were both interested in signing him. Maritimo, the bigger team, missed a crucial meeting with Rui Santos manager of 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 Lisbon who subsequently signed him for an undisclosed sum.

Career at Sporting Lisbon

Ronaldo joined Sporting's other youth players who trained at the Alcochete, the club's "football factory", where he received first-class instruction. Ronaldo had a heavy Madeiran Portuguese accent that made him a target of teasing. Sporting realised that Ronaldo needed more support and arranged for his mother to join him. He made his debut for Sporting Lisbon against Moreirense. He scored 2 goals. He also featured for Portugal in the UEFA Under 17 Championships. He played 25 times for Sporting between 1999 and 2003 scoring 5 goals.

His performances at the Under 17 championship drew him to the attention of the wider football world. However he came to the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson in the summer of 2003, when Sporting Lisbon beat Manchester United 3–1 in the inauguration of the Alvalade XXI stadium in Lisbon. Ronaldo scored two crucial goals and demonstrated his ability to play on both wings. After the match, United's players spoke enthusiastically of the young talent that they had just played against, saying they would rather have him in their team than play against him in the future.

Career at Manchester United

Ferguson decided that he wanted the youngster 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. Ronaldo quickly became established as a mamber of the Manchester United team however Ferguson, as with many of United's young players has been careful to rest and protect him. He made his debut for Manchester United as a 60th minute substitute against Bolton at Old Trafford.

Since his move to the famous English club, Ronaldo has earned equal amounts of praise for his style of play and dribbling skills. He has played primarily as a winger for United, however his ability to play on either wing makes him very versatile. He demonstrated these qualities at the 2004 FA Cup final in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, scoring the first goal in United's 3–0 win over Millwall.

However for all his skill and pace, Ronaldo has proved inconsistent and critics question whether he is a capable successor to David Beckham and the famous number 7 shirt once worn by Old Trafford legends Eric Cantona, George Best and Bryan Robson. Ronaldo supposedly did not want the pressure of living up to expectations with this number, and so initially asked for the number 28 which he wore at Sporting. Preferring a free role where he can show his wide variety of tricks such as step-overs he has often been accused of being selfish. A row between him and Ruud van Nistelrooy at the Carrington training ground has indeed intensified speculation about their roles at the club. Ferguson has however put his faith with Ronaldo, who signed a new deal with United that will last through 2010. Ronaldo is also quoted in the Manchester Evening News as saying "United have stood by me and been there for me and I want to repay that."

His temperament has occasionally been called into question. He was sent off in a game versus Manchester City and a one-match ban was imposed by UEFA for a "one-fingered gesture" towards Benfica fans in Lisbon last December. He was given a yellow card in a friendly with the Portugal National team against Luxembourg after he pushed left-back Jeff Strasser in the throat in retaliation, after Strasser tackled him. Ronaldo has been warned by Portugal's coach, Felipe Scolari, to keep his temper in check during the World Cup.

On the 29 October 2005 Ronaldo scored Manchester United's 1000th Premiership goal, in a 4–1 loss at the hands of Middlesbrough. He bagged a double double in February, with two goals at home to Fulham and another pair at Fratton Park, and also scored in the following Premiership game against Wigan taking his tally to 8 Premiership goals. On 26th February 2006, Ronaldo also played in the Carling Cup Final against Wigan in the Millennium Stadium at Cardiff, and scored a goal - taking his season's tally to 10 goals.

International career

Ronaldo made his international debut in August 2003, against Kazakhstan. He 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, and again, Greece emerged victorious.

Ronaldo 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. As of 17 June, 2005, he has scored 11 goals in 25 appearances for his country.

Ronaldo was named the OPTA player of the month for February after ending the month with a conversion rate of 40%. He has been rewarded for his excellent form in the second half of the season by being nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year, which he didn't win.

Ronaldo scored his first World Cup goal against Iran on a penalty kick. He also played in the quarter-final of the competition against England on 1 July, 2006, scoring the final penalty shoot-out that sealed the Portuguese victory. Despite Portugal winning, Ronaldo was widely critcised for his gamesmanship. England's Wayne Rooney was involved in a challenge with Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho and was red carded after pushing Ronaldo, his Manchester United team-mate. Sven Goran Eriksson told reporters that the referee Horacio Elizondo told him after the match that the red card was for the initial challenge on Carvalho. Although FIFA itself has not spoken on the issue, Elizondo - who as referee should not be unduly influenced by players - confirmed the initial story told by Eriksson to the The Times, saying "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."

"I complained to the referee about the foul but I didn't ask for a red card," said Ronaldo. After the match he admitted reports that giants Real Madrid are interested in him are correct, and he is now much more likely to go to the Spanish club or elsewhere over the summer transfer period. The Sun has made a dart board with his face, similar to the one made after the 1998 World Cup for David Beckham by The Daily Mirror, another English tabloid. He has said however in an interview that Rooney is a friend, and that he was not trying to get Rooney a red card. Rooney has said, "I bear no ill feeling to Cristiano but am disappointed that he chose to get involved." Shortly after the match, Ronaldo dropped back to second place in the online voting for Best Young Player. Ronaldo dropped from 1st place in the ranking to 2nd place because of a huge movement started by an Englishmen's letter. The letter asked people to vote for Luis Valencia, whom was the second place player, so that Ronaldo would not win the award.

Private life

Little is known about his private life. His father, Dinis Aveiro died on September 7, 2005. Despite that, he played in a World Cup qualifier against Russia only hours after receiving the news. He was also granted compassionate leave by Sir Alex Ferguson, and thus missed the Manchester derby against Manchester City on September 10. However, he declared himself available for Manchester United's next match in the UEFA Champions League, against Villarreal.

Various magazines have published photos of Ronaldo with Portuguese TV show host, Merche Romero.

In the past, Ronaldo has dated the model Jordana Jardel, sister of Brazilian footballer Mario Jardel, and the model Lauren Frain, footballer Alan Smith's ex.

Imogen Thomas, a contestant on the seventh series of Big Brother in the UK and former Miss Wales, also claims to have had a sexual relationship with Ronaldo.

Charity

Ronaldo has also done charity work, including flying out Martunis, an 11-year-old Indonesian tsunami survivor and his father to attend one of their World Cup qualifiers in June 2005; covering all their expenses. Subsequently all the players contributed money to buy them a house in Indonesia.

After the two World Cup qualifiers, Ronaldo flew to Indonesia to visit the areas affected by the tsunami and to raise funds. He met the Vice President of the Indonesian Republic Jusuf Kalla and the President of East Timor Xanana Gusmão, and raised £66,000 (about $120,000 USD) by auctioning off his personal sports gear in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Career stats

All-Time Club Performance

Club	Season	Domestic League		Domestic Cup		League Cup		European Competition		Total
		App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
Manchester United	06-07
	05-06	32	9	2	0	4	2	8	1	46	12
	04-05	33	5	7	4	2	0	8	0	50	9
	03-04	29	4	5	2	1	0	5	0	40	6
Total		94	18	14	6	7	2	21	1	136	27
Sporting Lisbon	02-03	25	3			-	-	-	-
Total		25	3
Career Totals		119	21			7	2

Trivia

• He was named the sexiest player of Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006 by Gay Krant, a Dutch gay magazine.
• His second name ("Ronaldo") is relatively rare in Portugal. His parents chose the name in honour of late US president Ronald Reagan, who was his father's favourite actor
• His childhood nickname was "Kluivert"
• He endorses Nike, Pepe Jeans, Extra Joss (Indonesian energy drink) and Suzuki cars (although he drives a silver Porsche)
• He was named FIFPro Special Young Player of the Year 2005, the only award to be voted for by fans. He also ranked 20th in the FIFA Player of the Year (2005) standings
• He was first spotted by former Liverpool F.C manager Gerrard 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
• He appears on the cover of the game FIFA Street 2
• His mother is Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro and his father was Jose Diniz Aveiro. He has a brother, Hugo, and two sisters, Elma and Katia

External links

• Photos and bio of Cristiano Ronaldo