10 SECRETS THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT CRISTIANO RONALDO

10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH ComM is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr and the Portugal national team.

Born: 5 February 1985 (age 38 years), Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça, Funchal, Portugal

From his difficult childhood in Madeira to a glittering career at the top of world football, here are 10 facts you may not know about Ronaldo.

1. His Father Was Troubled

Ronaldo father
José Dinis Aveiro

Dinis Aveiro, Ronaldo’s dad, was a war veteran. He spent a year in Angola during the Portuguese authoritarian regime’s war to keep its former colony in the mid-70s, although he never saw any action.

He struggled with alcohol abuse for much of his life and even started selling his son’s signed Manchester United shirts to feed his habit. He died at 52 of liver failure in London in 2005, despite Ronaldo’s efforts to save him.

2. He Grew Up in Poverty

You may know that Ronaldo had humble origins in Madeira, but did you know that he even had to share one bedroom with his brother and two sisters?

Dinis Aveiro struggled to find work, and one of his roles was at the local football club, where he’d do odd jobs and drink at the bar. His mum was a cook.

3. He Always Hated Losing

Ronaldo started training with his local team Andorinha in Funchal at the age of six and displayed the desire to win that he’s known for today.

The team’s former president Rui Santos recalled in 2008, “He’d get in bad moods when he lost” and his Mum, Maria, confirmed, “He’d dribble the ball, pass it and if one of his teammates lost it he’d start crying.”

4. He Was Snubbed by Maritimo

It wasn’t long before high-profile clubs came calling, and Madeira’s two biggest sides, Nacional and Maritimo, tried to sign him from Andorinha in 1995.

Ronaldo’s Dad wanted him to sign for Maritimo and his godfather, Fernao, wanted him to join Nacional. Andorinha invited both clubs to meet him and his family, but only Nacional showed, and that was who he joined.

5. He Was Sold for a Pittance

The player who in just over a decade would become the most expensive footballer on the planet was sold to Nacional by Andorinha for 20 footballs and a few kits for the youth team.

6. Nacional’s Training Ground Is Named after Him

The place where he trained from 1995 to 1997 is now named in his honour: Cristiano Ronaldo Campus Futebol.

His one-time coach Antonio Mendosa remembers that when he arrived “he never passed the ball to anyone!”, but it was there that he learned more about playing as a team.

Madeira’s air transport hub has now followed suit, and is now called the Cristiano Ronaldo Airport.

7. He Was Expelled from School

Ronaldo got kicked out of school soon after arriving in Lisbon for throwing a chair at his teacher. The reason? “He disrespected me.” The rumour is that the teacher made fun of his provincial accent.

This gave him the chance to focus on his budding football career full-time, and he never looked back, claiming that he hasn’t stayed in touch with any of his former schoolmates.

8. He’s a Blood Donor

CR7 donates blood regularly, which is the reason he doesn’t have tattoos.

He also campaigns to encourage young people to donate blood as a spokesman for the worldwide healthcare organisation Abbott.

9. He Can’t Understand Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

When he arrived at Manchester United in 2003 he spoke enough English to get by, but needed a translator for Alex Ferguson’s Scottish accent.

“I still don’t understand him! In the beginning, I had a translator, a Brazillian man, of course, basically only for him.”

10. The Biggest Unveiling Ever

After Cristiano signed for Madrid in 2009 there was a packed house at the Bernabeu for his official unveiling. 80,000 fans showed up, which is far more than for any player in the club’s history.

Search for News