Cristiano Ronaldo's meteoric rise through the football world began without great fanfare. Born February 5, 1985, Ronaldo grew up in a working class family in the Portuguese island of Madeira. Like children in Europe, he spent much of his childhood playing football with his friends. However, exceptional talent is clear to see, and immediately demand skills.
Development
Ronaldo joined amateur side first, Andorinha Futebol Clube, in 1993. At age 10, he moved to one of the larger local team, Nacional da Ilha da Madeira. Despite his young age, the club's success has attracted the attention of one of the biggest Portuguese club Sporting CP. A three-day trial with the first division giants proved successful, and Ronaldo made the move to the Portuguese capital Lisbon.
Sporting Lisbon
While many kids magic ultimately failed to make the grade when stepping into a higher level of football, Ronaldo embraced the challenge with characteristic determination and confidence. After joining the amateur ranks of Sporting CP academy, Ronaldo quickly focus on the first football team. According to Real Madrid, he became the only player in the history of Sporting played for four teams each academy and then his debut with the senior team in a single season. He made first-team debut against Moreirense, scoring two goals. His appearance for Sporting during the next two seasons brought it to the attention of Europe's biggest clubs, and high-profile moves become inevitable.
Manchester United
In 2003, Ronaldo helped Sporting beat Manchester United in a pre-season friendly. Both Manchester United player and coach, Alex Ferguson, is very impressed with his performance that the English club made a bid for the player. Manchester United's successful bid approximately $ 19 million for the player, and Ronaldo made the move to England. He made his debut for the club at the age of 18, and soon became a valuable part of the team and a firm favorite with the fans. He established himself as a lethal attacking winger and a consistent scorer, with 23 goals in the 2006-2007 season and 42 goals in the next year. In 2008, Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Real Madrid
Despite a long and successful career at Manchester United, Ronaldo signed a contract with Spanish giants Real Madrid on July 1, 2009. The Spaniards paid approximately $ 130 million for his services, make Ronaldo the most expensive footballer in the world. He scored 33 goals in his first season with Real Madrid, including seven in the Champions League. In October 2010, Ronaldo scored four goals against Racing Santander, the first ever four-goal tally in one game.
International Career
Ronaldo made his international debut for Portugal in August 2003. He excelled in both the Euro 2004 tournament and the 2006 World Cup, despite some controversy involving his then Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney. He captained the national team for the first time in 2007. In December 2010, Ronaldo has made 76 full international appearances and scored 23 goals, according to FIFA.
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