Cristiano Ronaldo Celebrates 40th Birthday, Eyes Continued Success on the Pitch
Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, currently playing for Saudi club Al-Nassr, is celebrating his 40th birthday today.
Ronaldo concluded his 39th year in stellar fashion, scoring twice in Al-Nassr’s 4-0 victory over UAE’s Al-Wasl on Monday during the seventh round of the AFC Champions League Elite. These goals raised his career tally to 923, leaving him just 77 goals shy of his ambitious target of 1,000 career goals.
Despite his numerous achievements, Ronaldo remains confident in his status as the greatest football player in history. In an interview with Spanish TV channel La Sexta on Tuesday, he stated, “I am the greatest player in history. Even though I’m not left-footed, I’m among the top ten goal scorers with my left foot of all time. The numbers speak for themselves. I’m the most complete player ever.”
He added, “I’m strong in aerial duels, I take free kicks well, I’m fast, powerful, and I can jump. I haven’t seen anyone better than me.” Ronaldo has previously expressed that he believes he will end his career as the best football player in history.
A Storied Career Spanning Two Decades
Born on February 5, 1985, Ronaldo began his professional career with Sporting Lisbon before joining Manchester United in 2003. He won the FA Cup in his first season with the English club and went on to secure three consecutive Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League title, and a FIFA Club World Cup.
At 23, Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or. In 2009, he became the most expensive player in football history at the time, transferring to Real Madrid for €94 million (£80 million). He quickly became a key player, forming a formidable attacking trio with Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, leading Real Madrid to four Champions League titles between 2014 and 2018.
During this period, Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or in 2013 and 2014, and again in 2016 and 2017, while finishing as runner-up to his long-time rival Lionel Messi on three occasions. He became Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer and the top scorer in Champions League history, finishing as the competition's top scorer for six consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2018.
Ronaldo’s tenure at Real Madrid saw him lift four Champions League titles, two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, two UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups.
A Journey Through Europe and Beyond
In 2018, Ronaldo signed with Juventus in a €100 million (£88 million) transfer, marking the most expensive signing of a player over 30 in Italian football history. With Juventus, he won two Serie A titles, two Italian Super Cups, and the Coppa Italia, becoming the first player to top the scoring charts in the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A.
Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021, finishing as the club’s top scorer in his only full season before parting ways with the team in 2022. In 2023, he joined Al-Nassr, where he continues to play.
A Legacy of Unparalleled Achievements
Ronaldo’s illustrious career is decorated with numerous individual accolades, including five Ballon d’Or awards, three UEFA Best Player in Europe awards, and four European Golden Shoes. He has also been named FIFA’s Best Men’s Player five times.
In total, Ronaldo has won 33 titles, including seven league titles, five Champions League trophies, and two major international titles with Portugal—the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League.
He holds the record for the most appearances in the Champions League (183 matches) and is the competition’s all-time top scorer with 140 goals, alongside 42 assists. He also boasts the most appearances in the UEFA European Championship (30 matches) and is the tournament’s top scorer with 14 goals and eight assists.
Internationally, Ronaldo has represented Portugal in 217 matches, scoring 135 goals. He is among the rare players to have played over 1,200 official matches. His international debut came in 2003 at 18, and he has participated in 11 major tournaments, scoring in 10 of them. His first international goal came during Euro 2004, where he helped Portugal reach the final.
Ronaldo was named Portugal’s captain in July 2008, and in 2015, he was honored as the greatest Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation. The following year, he led Portugal to their first major international title, winning Euro 2016 and earning the Silver Boot as the tournament’s second-highest scorer.