THE LEGENDARY NO 7

HEIGHT :: 1.85 (6 FT 1 IN)
PLAYING POSITION :: RIGHT WINGER, STRIKER
JERSEY NO :: 7

Ronaldo initially asked for the number 28 which he wore at Sporting, as he did not want the pressure of living up to the expectation linked to the number 7 shirt. "After I joined, the manager asked me what number I'd like. I said 28. But Ferguson said 'no, you're going to have No. 7' and the famous shirt was an extra source of motivation. I was forced to live up to such an honour".

Biography

Ronaldo was born in Funchal, Portugal, to Maria Dolor es dos Santos Aveiro and the late José Dinis Aveiro (1954 – London, 5 September 2005). He has one older brother, Hugo (b. 1975), and two elder sisters, Elma (b. 1974) and Liliana Cátia (b. Madeira, 5 October 1976). Liliana Cátia works as a singer by the stage name "Ronalda" in Portugal. Cristiano's second given name ("Ronaldo") is relatively rare in Portugal. His parents named him after former Hollywood actor and U.S. President Ronald Reagan due to his late father's admiration for the man.

Club Information

1993 - 1995 ~ CF ANDORINHA ~ YOUTH
1995 - 1997 ~ CD NACIONAL ~ YOUTH
1997 - 2001 ~ SPORTING CP
2001 - PRESENT ~ MANCHESTER UNITED

NATIONAL TEAM : PORTUGAL

Early career

He began kicking a football when he was three, and when he started primary school at age six, his passion for the sport was obvious. His favourite boyhood team was SL Benfica even though he would later join their rival, Sporting. He first played for an amateur team, Andorinha, where his father was the kit man, when he was just eight years old

By 1995, at just ten years of age, Cristiano Ronaldo's reputation was growing in Portugal. Madeira's top two teams, CS Marítimo and CD Nacional were both interested in signing him. Marítimo, the bigger team, missed a crucial meeting with Rui Santos, Ronaldo's manager at Andorinha, and as a result, Ronaldo signed for Nacional. After a title-winning campaign at Nacional, Ronaldo went on a three day trial with Sporting who subsequently signed him for an undisclosed sum

when Sporting beat Manchester United 3-1 in the inauguration of the Alvalade XXI stadium in Lisbon. Ronaldo demonstrated his ability to play on both wings. His performance in the match impressed the Manchester United players, who spoke to their manager about a possible transfer bid for Ronaldo

Individual Honours / Awards

* PFA PLAYERS' PLAYERS OF THE YEAR 2007, 2008
* PFA YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2007
* PFA FANS' PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2007, 2008
* PFA PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE YEAR 2005-06, 2006-07,2007-08
* BARCLAYS PLAYER OF THE SEASON 2006-07
* FOOTBALL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION AWARD 2007, 2008
* ENGLISH GOLDEN BOOT 2007 - 2008
* BARCLAYS PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
~ NOV 2006, DEC 2006, JAN 2008, MARCH 2008

* PFA FANS' PLAYER OF THE MONTH
~ OCT 2006, FEB 2007

* PORTUGUESE SPORTS PERSONALITY 2006
* PORTUGUESE FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR 2007
* SIR MATT BUSBY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
~ 2003-2004, 2006-2007, 2007-2008

* MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYERS' OF THE YEAR 2006-2007, 2007-2008
* MANCHESTER UNITED GOAL OF THE SEASON 2007- 2008
* FIFPro WORLD XI
~ 2006-2007

* UEFA TEAM OF THE YEAR
~ 2004, 2007

* UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
~ TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

* EUROPEAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR
~ BALLON D'OR 2ND PLACE ::2007

* ONZE D'OR 2ND PLACE::2007
* FIFA WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
~ 3RD PLACE

* FIFPro SPECIAL YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
~ 2005, 2006

Non-Hereditary

* OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF INFANTE D.HENRIQUE ( PORTUGAL)
* MEDAL OF MERIT, ORDER OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF VILA VICOSA (HOUSE OF BRAGANZA)