He is constantly creating history which began in 2003 when he was the first Portuguese player to be signed by Manchester United.
When he left the club to go to Real Madrid he clocked up the highest ever transfer fee when Manchester United received £80 million (94 million euros). In addition he was to be paid 11 million euros per year over the next 6 years, making him the highest paid footballer in the world.
More history was created when he became the first football player to win the FIFA Puskás Award which is an honour given out by FIFA for the greatest goal of the year. His goal was a 40 yard strike against FC Porto during a Champions League match which won him the award while he was still playing for Manchester United.
He started out playing football for an amateur team C.F. Andorinha when he was 8-years-old where his father was kit man, Three years later he signed with his local club Clube Desportivo Nacional. Following a title-winning season he went for a three-day trial with football team Sporting CP which subsequently signed the youngster for an undisclosed sum. He then joined up with their other youth players at Academia Sporting, the club's football academy in Alcochete.
At Sporting he became their only team member ever to play for the under 16, 17's, 18's, B team and the first team all in the one season.
At the age of 15 it looked as if his football career might be over before it had begun. Cristiano Ronaldo was found to have a racing heart, the team's staff were told of his condition and his mother gave her authority for him to have a day operation in hospital.
A laser was applied to cauterise the area of the heart causing the problem and he returned to training a few days later.
He was first spotted by Liverpool Manager Gerard Houllier at the age of 16 but the club decided not to take him on as they felt he was too young.
Two years later Sporting beat Manchester United in Lisbon 3-1 and the players were so impressed with the 18-year-old Sporting player they urged Alex Ferguson to sign him.
After the 2002-3 season the he signed a contract with Manchester United for a transfer fee of 15 million euros (£12.24 million). He remained with the Club for six years until Manchester United accepted Real Madrid's offer of £80 million. Cristiano Ronaldo signed a 6-year contract with the La Liga Club and he is also Captain of the Portuguese National Team.
He loves all the trappings of being a successful professional footballer. By the age of 24 he had already clocked up 28 girlfriends and he is currently dating a 25-year-old Russian model Irina Shayk.
Shayk and Ronaldo met while they were both featured for an advertising campaign for the label Armani Exchange and following this they have been together for a year.
In 2010 Ronaldo shocked the world when he announced he had become a father. His son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jnr was born in June and he said he was to be the sole guardian. He said he was overjoyed to have a son who was living with his mother and sister.
