#Throwback: A look at Cristiano Ronaldo's career
There is no doubt that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best footballers on the planet. He is a multiple-time 'World Footballer of the Year' awardee and has won several trophies including League titles as well as the Champions League. He also boasts several goal-scoring records to his name. Ever wondered how has his journey been till now? Here's a look.
The rise of the phenomenon Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo's professional career kick-started at Portuguese club Sporting CP. He was promoted from the academy in 2002 after just 2 games for Sporting B. Since then, he went on to represent Sporting in 25 league games scoring 3 league goals, 3 cup games where he scored 2 goals and 2 European games. His fine form earned him a move to English giants Manchester United
The boy turns into a man
An 18-year-old Ronaldo became the most expensive teenage after being signed by Manchester United for a transfer fee of £12.24 million. Ronaldo spent 6 years in Manchester scoring 117 goals in 242 games. He also won his first Ballon d'Or in 2008 He helped United win 3 Premier League titles, a FA Cup and the prestigious Champions League.
The birth of a superstar
Ronaldo's heroics at Manchester United earned him a world record £80 million transfer to Real Madrid in 2009. Since his move to the Spanish capital, the Portuguese hitman has only grown in stature. In 411 games he has scored a staggering 417 goals. He has also won the FIFA world player of the year for the last 3 years.
The hope of a nation
Ronaldo is undoubtedly the best player to come from Portugal since Eusebio. Now the captain of his national side, Ronaldo has the most caps for his nation (147) and also the most goals (79). He was an important part of the team that won the Euro 2016, Portugal's first ever major trophy.
The highest paid athlete of all time
Ronaldo is not only a great footballer but the most marketable athlete in the world. Ronaldo reportedly earns £365,000 a week at Real Madrid. In November 2016, the ace footballer signed a $1 billion 'lifetime' deal with Nike. He also endorses Sacoor Brothers suits, Monster headphones, Tag Heuer watches, Castrol, Armani, his own lifestyle brand among many others.
