Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese footballer who has played for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al Nassr. Early Career and Manchester United: Ronaldo's professional career began with Sporting CP. Manchester United acquired Ronaldo after being impressed with his performance in a friendly match where Sporting defeated United 3-1. Initially, Manchester United planned to sign Ronaldo and loan him back to Sporting, but after being impressed, the United players urged manager Alex Ferguson to sign him permanently. He was signed for £12 million, a record for a teenager in England, making him the first Portuguese player to sign for the club. Ronaldo made his debut for Manchester United on 16 August 2003. During the 2003-2007 seasons, Ronaldo's development and breakthrough saw him become a key player. Between 2007 and 2009, he achieved collective and individual success, including the Ballon d'Or. He won the Professional Footballers' Association's Player's Player, Fans' Player, Young Player of the Year awards, and the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year award in the 2006–07 season. In 2007, Ronaldo was named runner-up to Kaká for the Ballon d'Or. Real Madrid: In 2009, Ronaldo transferred to Real Madrid for a then-world record £80 million. His presentation at the Santiago Bernabéu was attended by 80,000 fans. He made his La Liga debut on 29 August, scoring a penalty. He scored in each of his first four league games, a first for a Madrid player. He won the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2013 and the FIFA World Player of the Year award for the first time in his career. During his time at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2015, he achieved consecutive Ballon d'Or wins. From 2015-2018, he became the all-time Madrid top scorer and won his fifth Ballon d'Or. Juventus: Ronaldo joined Juventus in 2018 where he won consecutive Serie A titles. He reached 100 goals for Juve, won the Capocannoniere, and then departed. Return to Manchester United & Al Nassr: Ronaldo later returned to Manchester United. He currently plays for Al Nassr. In 2023, he won his first trophy since 2021 with Al Nassr in the Arab Club Champions Cup Final . Ronaldo ended 2023 as the world's top goal scorer . In the 2023-2024 season, he broke the Saudi Pro League record for most goals in a season . International Career: Ronaldo has played for the Portuguese national team since 2004. He was part of the Portugal squad that were the runners-up in the UEFA Euro 2004. He was part of the Portuguese national teams at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2012, 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016 (winners), 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2018 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2020, 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024. Player Profile: Ronaldo is known for his goal celebrations, particularly the "siu" celebration. The phrase "siu" is derived from the Portuguese word "sim," meaning "yes". He has a well-documented rivalry with Lionel Messi. They are both considered leading goal scorers in history and their individual merits are often debated. Ronaldo is sometimes depicted as an arrogant and theatrical showoff, while Messi is portrayed as a shy, humble character. Popular Culture: Ronaldo has a large online following. He has various business ventures, sponsorships and philanthropic activities. The Cristiano Ronaldo Museum, Museu CR7, was opened in Funchal, Madeira in 2013 to house trophies and memorabilia. In 2015, astronomers named a galaxy Cosmos Redshift 7 (CR7) in his honor. He has his own official YouTube channel which has gained millions of subscribers. Additional Information: Ronaldo was named the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for Manchester United in 2004, 2007 and 2008. He was named the Serie A Most Valuable Player in 2018-19 and 2020-21. He was also the Serie A Best Forward in 2020-21.

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