Menu:
Gallery
When one is tasked to make a list of the most significant Portugal sports icons, it is almost impossible to omit the name of Cristiano Ronaldo. Highly regarded as the best football player in the world today, Ronaldo joins the likes of Eusebio, Aguas, and Matateu in the list of legendary Portuguese football players. At only 24 years of age, he has already collected numerous accolades in his name as he continues his growth not only as a football player, but as a person as well.
Ronaldo was born in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal on February 5, 1985. Named Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, he was given the second name “Ronaldo” by his father as a tribute to his favourite actor, then-president of the US Ronald Reagan.
At the tender age of 10, Ronaldo was already a regular figure in the first team of local club Nacional. This was where the boy would cut his football teeth. After winning the title with the club, he was signed by Sporting CP for an undisclosed sum. In the summer of 2003, Sporting played Manchester United in an exhibition match and this was where he was spotted by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Manchester United had no idea that they were signing a future Portugal sports icon. Ronaldo was given the famous number 7 shirt of United, which was previously worn by the likes of David Beckham, Eric Cantona, Bryan Robson, and George Best. Surely, he had very big shoes to fill. Ronaldo scored his debut goal for United in November 1 of 2003. After netting 10 goals in all competitions, the then-19-year-old was voted as FIFPro Special Young Player of the Year for 2005.
Ronaldo claimed his first piece of English silverware when his club won the FA Cup in 2004. This marked the beginning of an era as it was followed by triumphs in the English League Cup (2006 & 2009), the UEFA Champions League (2008), and the Premier League (2007 & 2008). These championships were accompanied by a multitude of personal awards that including the Portuguese Player of the Year (2005 & 2006), BPL Player of the Season (2007 & 2008), FIFA World Player of the Year (2008), and the much-coveted Ballon d’Or (2008), among other awards.
Today, Cristiano Ronaldo has definitely established himself as one of the most popular Portugal sports icon in history. His accomplishments have also made him the most expensive player not only in Portugal, but in the world. After a highly-publicized failure to sign Ronaldo last summer, Spanish outfit Real Madrid are reportedly going to try again once this summer’s transfer window opens with an initial bid of over £70 million—a price tag reserved only for one of the best Portugal sports icons.
Latest news about Sports
Sports Fans: Apply Now for The Ultimate Sports Social Media Job
Comcast Corporation :
27 Jan 2012, 8:58 am | click here to view more
College Sports League to Stream Its Own Content Online
With television broadcast deals that reach into the billions of dollars, the delivery of college sports as entertainment has long been huge business.
27 Jan 2012, 7:09 am | click here to view more
Do Big-Time Sports Mean Big-Time Support for Universities?
Even if most major athletic programs make little if any net revenue, their benefit to universities' bottom lines can be quantified in many ways, an economist writes.
27 Jan 2012, 3:55 am | click here to view more
Today in Sports History--January 27
January 27 is a very important date for a few American sports. Basketball and football are two major sports that are played at this time of year and both figure prominently into an examination of sports history on Jan. 27. Art Rooney Born tardy Pittsburgh Steelers' owner Art...
27 Jan 2012, 3:50 am | click here to view more
sports on the tube
SATURDAY
27 Jan 2012, 2:14 pm | click here to view more
X Games Brings Action Sports Stars To Mainstream Popularity
The Winter X Games kicked off last night, and with it the opportunity for action sports athletes to move into mainstream awareness. Stars like Tony Hawk, Travis Pastrana and Shaun White have demonstrated how X Games gold medals can translate to gold in the bank.
27 Jan 2012, 12:07 pm | click here to view more
Fan Opinion: Five Moments that Combined Politics and Sports
For as long as sports have captivated the world's minds and hearts, so too have they been intertwined with politics. To be honest, the two are inextricably linked. Sports often take on a political overtone while politicians go to the well of sports metaphors as often as they...
26 Jan 2012, 7:05 pm | click here to view more
At WSCR, the Score, Chicago Sports Radio Matures
Twenty years after WSCR brought sports talk radio to Chicago, the format has moved beyond screamers and is demonstrating staying power.
26 Jan 2012, 11:04 pm | click here to view more
Three Sports Couples Expecting Babies
It seems like every week a new sports star couple is expecting a child. When a new star announces the news of an impending arrival, fans everywhere start buzzing. There seems to be a baby boom in the world of sports. Here are a few of the sports stars who are expecting a baby this...
25 Jan 2012, 9:39 pm | click here to view more
Three Ways Wearing a Sports Bra Can Benefit a Female Athlete
What a female athlete wears while working out or participating in sports is just as important as stretching, and can significantly decrease her risk of injury. A female athlete needs to be aware of the health benefits that wearing a sports bra can have on her, which can help her...
25 Jan 2012, 11:04 pm | click here to view more