It’s safe to say Cristiano Ronaldo has had an absolutely unbelievable career. Premier League titles, several Champions League triumphs, a Euro Championship win and much, much more.
Ronaldo is an extraordinary player, but also a fascinating person. Here are 10 facts about CR7 that may be a shock to the system;
He doesn’t drink alcohol
Drinking culture and football goes hand in hand, with many pros indulging in the occasional alcoholic beverage from time to time (Jack Grealish anyone?) But Ronaldo has stayed away from alcohol throughout his career, maintaining sobriety for both personal and professional reasons.
He’s scored more goals after turning 30 than Wayne Rooney managed in his entire career
It’s fine if you double take, we couldn’t quite believe this statistic either, but we assure you it’s true. Wayne Rooney, Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer, scored less in his career than Ronaldo scored after he turned 30 years of age. Just wow.
He’s scored in every minute from 1’ till 90’
Every minute for the traditional 90 that Ronaldo’s been on the pitch, he’s scored a goal. This just shows what an elite goalscorer he actually is. Opposition teams aren’t safe with the Portuguese talisman around – not at any time during a game!
He’s close friends with Piers Morgan
Controversial journalist and news presenter Piers Morgan is indeed close friends with Ronaldo. Quite an odd pair but the two get along really well, evidenced by Ronaldo’s controversial interview with Piers last year.
He has an insane youth league record
Most child prodigies have impressive youth league records, but Ronaldo’s is something else. As a youngster, the Al-Nassr star had a league campaign where he scored more than 80 goals for his local side CF Andorinha.
His diet and exercise regime is second to none
Admittedly, this fact may not be so hard to believe, all you need to do is have a look at the shape the man is in. But he certainly goes above and beyond to ensure he remains at peak physical condition, including practices like cryotherapy and intermittent fasting.
He’s multilingual
It’s not just a high footballing IQ Ronaldo possesses. Portugal’s record goalscorer can speak several languages, including Portuguese, English, Spanish, and Italian – he is also currently learning Arabic.
He has scored against over 120 different clubs
Some players retire having not played against 120 clubs, whereas Ronaldo has scored against more than 120 different clubs. His ambition and drive is seriously inspirational. He wants to make an impact every time he’s on the pitch and my word has he done so.
He could yet play with his son
Cristiano Ronaldo Jr currently plays for Al-Nassr U23. At just 13 years of age, he requested his dad stay in the game long enough for them to join forces in the professional ranks. Can you imagine a team with two Ronaldos? This is must-see stuff!
He almost joined Arsenal
In England, we remember Ronaldo for his two spells with Manchester United, but it could’ve been so different. The 38-year-old revealed he was extremely close to joining rivals Arsenal back in 2003, however then United manager Sir Alex Ferguson moved swiftly to get his man. Hard luck, Gunners.
