Redefining Greatness: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro

Have you ever wonder how a poor little boy from the streets of Madeira made it to the top of the world? I doubt even if you say yes. The way he changed the world of football and the world outside football with his unwavering determination, near-impossible hard work, and boundless generosity; the character “Cristiano” is unmatched.

Cristiano with the crowd at Santiago Bernabeu

31 August, 2021. Just turned on the TV, and One of the most insanely majestic commentators in the world was narrating in his true in-depth feelings, “MADEIRA, MANCHESTER, MADRID, TURIN, AND MANCHESTER AGAIN; WREATHED IN RED, RESTORED TO THIS GREAT GALLERY OF THE GAME, A WALKING WORK OF ART, VINTAGE, BEYOND VALUATION, BEYOND FORGERY, OR IMITATION; 18 YEARS SINCE THAT TREMBLING TEENAGER OF TOUCH AND TEASE FIRST TIPTOED ONTO THIS STORIED STAGE, NOW, IN HIS IMMACULATE MATURITY, CR7 RE-UNITED.” God knows what we felt that day, these words, golden, from Peter Drury. That day Cristiano went back to Manchester after achieving every European success that anyone can ever think of, but still, we could witness the same hunger in his eyes when he scored 2 goals at the age of 36 in the most competitive club football league in the world - ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE. Greatness; is something that you preserve forever, just like him, a true icon. 

While the world is preoccupied with the ongoing debate about who is the greatest of all time (GOAT) in soccer and constantly comparing Cristiano Ronaldo with Lionel Messi, only a few delve deeply into his life story and try to understand the actual reasons behind his remarkable journey. What sets him apart from other great players? What makes him the top contender in the race? How did he become the world's most famous celebrity? Well, behind all of these questions, Mother Earth also left the most appropriate answers.

Ronaldo’s ascent to greatness started in the streets of Madeira, Portugal, watching his raw talent, the selectors of Sporting Lisbon aka SCP picked him up and added him to the academy where a beautiful chapter of football history started. 12 years old Cristiano left his family to pursue his dream and went to Lisbon. The year was 2003, A friendly match was set up between Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United FC, and Cristiano was a young, dauntless, emerging footballer in the making. The manager of the Red Devils was Sir Alex Ferguson (SAF) who later had a great impact on Cristiano’s career saw him when United's superb pre-season form had ended with a disappointing 3-1 defeat at the hands of Sporting Lisbon but despite the defeat, Ronaldo’s trembling performance for the SCP left a lasting impression on SAF, which finally got him a contract in Manchester United FC where he spent 6 fruitful years under his guidance. 18-year-old Cristiano moved to Manchester, where he became the modern day performing beast, Sir Alex shaped this young talent into a global superstar in the theatre of dreams. His years in Manchester playing as a midfielder caught everyone’s eyes, a trembling teenager, with unstoppable scoring records, Cristiano won his maiden UEFA Champions League with the Red Devils. That's it, that's the story of young Ronaldo who later in early 2009 became a global superstar. 

Cristiano joined the greatest club in the history of football in 2009, Real Madrid CF, where his vibrant illustrious career started. After joining Madrid in a then-world record transfer; his tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu saw him rewrite the record books with astonishing regularity, becoming Real Madrid's all-time leading scorer and winning four Champions League titles in the process. Ronaldo's insatiable hunger for success took him to new heights, creating his legacy as one of the most prolific goal-scorers in football history.

Cristiano and his off the field greatness

Cristiano Ronaldo is not just a superstar on the field, but also off the field. He has used his platform to bring about positive changes in the world. Ronaldo has been actively involved in various charitable initiatives and has shown heartfelt gestures of kindness. One remarkable example of his philanthropy is his decision to auction off his Golden Boot award in 2011 and donate the proceeds to fund schools for children in Gaza. Cristiano has helped numerous fans achieve their dreams and has donated money for their treatment. He is a completely kind-hearted being who thinks about every detail, like why he doesn't have any tattoos on his body. It's because he donates blood on a regular basis. Ronaldo's inspiring stories make him one of a kind.

Cristiano with Portugal NT after wining EURO 2016

Going back to the on field stories, Cristiano Ronaldo stands as the greatest Portuguese athlete ever and an unparalleled figure in the history of Portugal. Before Ronaldo's era, Portugal's presence on the global football stage was limited, with only a handful of World Cup appearances. Before Ronaldo, Portugal only made 3 world cup appearances in 1966, 1986 and 2002, but after his appearance in the national team he took Portugal to 5 consecutive world cups ensuring a continuous presence in the greatest stage of international football. Portugal’s dream of winning their first international trophy came true by the leadership of Cristiano when they won UEFA EURO 2016, that’s the greatest achievement in the history of Portugal. Cristiano's legacy transcends sports, making him not only the greatest footballer but also the greatest human being in the annals of Portuguese history.

Young Mbappe in his room full of his idol Cristiano's posters

Cristiano's impact extends to the way he trained himself to be the greatest. He famously stated, "Talent without working hard is nothing." His tireless dedication and disciplined approach to fitness, diet, and mental preparation have enabled him to maintain peak performance well still at the age of 39. Perhaps Cristiano's most enduring legacy lies in his influence on the next generation of footballing talent. He’s idolized by many present-time performers like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Rodrygo Goes, Alejandro Garnacho, Joao Felix, Vinicius Junior and many more. He’s also the idol of the greatest batsman in the history of cricket Virat Kohli, the greatest like basketball legend Michael Jordan, NFL legend Tom Brady, Golf legend Tiger Woods, MotoGP Legend Valentino Rossi, and one of the top all-time boxing performers Tyson Fury- also approves his greatness; indeed a greatest can only be approved by the greatest’s. In the world of sports and entertainment, Cristiano made the greatest impact ever which also made him the No. 1 celebrity in the world.

As a fan of his since our teenage years we can say that Cristiano has helped us with a lot of downfalls in our life when we had nothing to look back. It was only him we looked up to. His sheer determination to become the best has left a mark in our life which always inspires us to give our all in whatever we do. For instance, back in 2023 when I (Eraz) was about to give my final seating of A levels in July, I started to experience extreme upper back pains at the start of June and the doctors were unable to diagnose my condition, I thought this was the end of me but then I remembered I have to fight this through so I studied for hours while being in immense pain and secured an A in all subjects and after my examination, I was properly diagnosed and had my gallbladder removed. This shows how his mentality of achieving success through pain did not let me fail. In another instance, I (Omer) always had a dream of pursuing a career as an athlete while also studying undergrad. However, it was difficult to train hard each day and stay motivated. I looked up to Cristiano Ronaldo, and his determination and success inspired me to keep going. Eventually, I was able to earn spots on two prominent university football teams: the Manitoba Bisons (USports, Canada West) at the University of Manitoba in Canada, and the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks (NCAA D-1, OVC) in the USA. While I didn't end up completing my athletic career, achieving these two accomplishments will always drive my adrenaline. Thanks to Cristiano, I learned that with hard work, anything is possible. We both know that problems will always arise in our lives but the impact that the legend has created taught us how to break through those, and we are proud to Idolize a great like him whom we look up to each day when we feel like giving up. 

Cristiano Ronaldo's impact on the world of football is immeasurable. As fans, we are forever in debt to him for the countless memories, moments of brilliance, and inspiration he has provided. He will live on as the greatest, a legend whose brilliance comes once in a thousand years. We are privileged to witness his greatness, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come. Cristiano Ronaldo's story is not just about football; it's about perseverance, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Thank you, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, for the greatest show on earth.