Cristiano Ronaldo was born on 5 February 1985 in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. He began playing organised football with local club Andorinha before joining Nacional, and in 1997 earned a place in Sporting CP's youth academy in Lisbon. After impressing across multiple age groups, he made his senior debut for Sporting in August 2002 and quickly attracted attention from clubs across Europe.
Manchester United signed him in August 2003 for £12 million — a record fee for a teenager in England at the time. During six seasons at Old Trafford he won three consecutive Premier League titles and the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League, finishing that campaign with 31 league goals to claim the Premier League Golden Boot and the European Golden Shoe. He also claimed his first Ballon d'Or that year.
A transfer to Real Madrid in 2009 for €94 million defined the next chapter of his career. At Madrid he scored at a remarkable rate, becoming the club's all-time top scorer, winning four Champions League titles between 2014 and 2018, and claiming four further Ballon d'Or awards. A move to Juventus followed in 2018, where he contributed to two Serie A titles before returning to Manchester United in 2021 and then joining Al-Nassr in 2023.
An explosive, right-footed forward with exceptional finishing ability and athleticism, Ronaldo holds the records for most goals and assists in Champions League history. He made his international debut for Portugal in 2003 and has earned over 200 caps, scoring more than 140 international goals. He captained Portugal to the UEFA Euro 2016 title. At Manchester United, where the source data lists his current club, he wore the iconic number 7 shirt.