Cristiano Ronaldo is 40 years old and the legend continues. Five Golden Balls and a thousand goals. Age is just a number.

Introduction: A giant racing against time

In 2025, when the 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo is still running, shooting, and scoring on the green fields of the Saudi League, and winning the battle with Riyadh with astonishing efficiency, helping the Portuguese national team win the UEFA Nations League championship, fans around the world have to admit one fact again: What we are witnessing is not only a great football player, but also a giant who is fighting unyieldingly against the laws of time. From a remote boy in Madeira, Portugal, to an absolute king in European football centers such as Manchester, Madrid, and Turin, and then to a new adventure in the Middle East, Ronaldo's career itself is a magnificent epic about ambition, self-discipline, and never giving up. His story tells us that limits exist to be broken.

1. The young boy chasing the wind in Madeira: from a poor childhood to the beginning of talent

On February 5, 1985, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born in Funchal, Madeira Islands, Portugal. He comes from a modest family, his father is a gardener at the city hall and his mother is a cook. Football was his only companion during his childhood, and the ball he always kicked in his backyard was his inseparable friend. His father's love for football deeply influenced the young Ronaldo. He began to change his tricks and learned the spirit of never admitting defeat.

His football talent was quickly discovered by local clubs. In 1995, Ronaldo joined the Madeira National Football Club. However, his early football journey was not smooth sailing. When he was 12 years old, he almost ended his playing career early due to heart problems. Fortunately, he successfully completed the operation with the help of his mother and the club. This life and death test may also have sharpened his indestructible will in the future.

In 1998, the Portuguese powerhouse Sporting Lisbon (also known as Sporting CP) was impressed by Ronaldo's talent and introduced the 13-year-old boy for £1,500. This is undoubtedly the first crucial turning point in Ronaldo's life. He left his hometown for the Alcochet training camp near Lisbon, where he received five years of rigorous and scientific training. His unremitting efforts made him stand out from his peers, and he even became the only player in the club's history to participate in five different levels of competition: U16, U17, U18, second team and first team in one season. In 2002, he scored two goals in his Portuguese Super League debut, showing his extraordinary potential.

2. Dream Theater Manchester United: From Young Star to Top of the World (2003-2009)

On August 6, 2003, a friendly match took place that changed Ronaldo's destiny. At the inauguration ceremony of Sporting Lisbon's new stadium, the opponent was the Premier League giant Manchester United. Ronaldo's outstanding performance not only helped the team win, but also deeply moved a key figure present - Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson. It is said that the Manchester United generals strongly recommended Ferguson to sign the talented No. 28 player on the plane back to Manchester. A few days later, Manchester United announced that it had signed a five-year contract with Ronaldo for a transfer fee of 12.24 million pounds. He became the first Portuguese player in Manchester United's history and took over the legendary No. 7 jersey.

When he debuted in the Premier League, Ronaldo impressed with his gorgeous footwork and dazzling passing skills. On August 16, 2003, he made his Premier League debut as a substitute for Manchester United against Bolton Wanderers. However, his individualistic style of play was initially questioned. But under Sir Alex Ferguson's careful training, Ronaldo continued to grow and turned his fancy dribbling into an efficient offensive weapon.

The 2006 World Cup in Germany became a small low point in Ronaldo's career. Due to the conflict with club teammate Rooney, he once became the public enemy of England and even considered leaving Manchester United. But this crisis inspired his fighting spirit. He ushered in a real breakthrough in the 2006-07 season, playing 34 times in the Premier League on behalf of Manchester United, scoring 17 goals, and leading the team to regain the Premier League championship after four years. He personally won many PFA (England Professional Footballers' Association) best player and best rookie awards, becoming the first player to achieve this achievement in 30 years.

The 2007-08 season was the peak year for Ronaldo and Manchester United. He made 49 appearances in all competitions and scored a crazy 42 goals, surpassing the record of Manchester United senior George Best. He not only helped Manchester United defend the Premier League title, but also defeated Chelsea in the Champions League final and won the third Champions League trophy in the club's history. In terms of personal honors, he has won the three highest personal honors in football, the Golden Globe Award, World Footballer of the Year, and European Golden Boot Award, achieving an unprecedented Grand Slam. During his six years at Manchester United, Ronaldo played a total of 292 times, scored 118 goals, and won 10 important trophies, including 3 Premier League championships and 1 Champions League championship. He grew from a Madeira boy to the World Footballer.

3. Real Madrid Years: The Perfect Incarnation of the Legend in White and the Goal-Scoring Machine (2009-2018)

In the summer of 2009, Ronaldo joined the Spanish club Real Madrid for a world-record transfer fee of 80 million pounds at the time. When he appeared at the Bernabeu Stadium, he was welcomed by 80,000 fans, and the scene was very shocking. The move marked a new phase for him - becoming a ruthless goalscoring machine.

The nine years at Real Madrid were the most productive period of Ronaldo's career. He broke almost every goal record that could be broken: 451 goals in 438 games, becoming the club's top scorer in history. He helped the team win 16 important trophies, including 4 Champions League titles (including an unprecedented three consecutive championships) and 2 La Liga titles. He himself also won the Ballon d'Or four times (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017), increasing his personal total to five.

C Ronaldo fully demonstrated his scoring ability in Real Madrid. He has repeatedly performed the "Big Four" (scoring 4 goals in a single game) and even the "Five Sons" (scoring 5 goals in a single game). With his powerful jumping ability and heading skills, powerful long-range shots and precise free kicks, he redefined the standards of modern forwards. Especially in the Champions League, he stepped forward many times in key matches and set a single-season personal scoring record in the Champions League with 17 goals. He is the absolute core of Real Madrid's dominance of Europe.

4. Late career: Traveling to the Apennines, returning to the Theater of Dreams, and conquering Saudi Arabia (2018-present)

In 2018, Ronaldo unexpectedly transferred to Juventus in Italy. He continued his championship journey in the Apennine Peninsula, helping Juventus win 2 Serie A championships and other honors, and demonstrated his amazing ability to adapt to different leagues.

In 2021, Ronaldo made a warm return and returned to Manchester United. Although the ending of his second Manchester United career was not perfect, he still contributed key goals in the early stages of his return. In 2022, he made another major decision and moved to Riyadh Victory Football Club in the Saudi League. Many thought this was the end of his career, but Ronaldo shocked the world again. Even at the age of 40, he still maintains a terrifying scoring efficiency. As of 2025, he has scored 77 goals in 80 games in Riyadh Victory and won the Saudi League Golden Boot.

5. Portugal National Team: Lone Hero to National Glory

Cristiano Ronaldo’s journey in the national team is more like an inspirational story from a lone hero to leading a national team to the top. He made his national team debut in 2003. In the early days, he was often criticized for his performance in the club being much better than that of the national team. For example, when Portugal lost 0-4 to Germany in the 2014 World Cup, the media once commented, "It's not that Ronaldo didn't work hard, I can only blame the teammates of the national team for not doing their best."

But Ronaldo changed everything with his persistence and leadership. In 2016, he led the Portuguese team to win the European Football Championship for the first time in history. Although he left the field early due to injury in the final, his passionate command on the sidelines has become a classic. In 2019, he helped Portugal win the first UEFA Nations League championship. At the age of 40 in June 2025, he once again won the UEFA Nations League championship with the team, proving his continued contribution to the national team. He is not only the top scorer in the history of the Portuguese team, but also a symbol of the country's football spirit.

6. Legendary Password: In addition to talent, there is ultimate self-discipline and evolution

Ronaldo’s success is by no means solely based on talent. Behind his legend is an unimaginable sacrifice. He is famous for his crazy fitness training and strict diet control, keeping his body fat rate at an extremely low level all year round. This allows him to still have a physical fitness comparable to that of a young athlete even at the age of 40.

From the winger who showed off his skills during the Manchester United era, to the ruthless scoring machine during the Real Madrid era, to the ultimate shooter who focused more on the penalty area at Juventus and later in his career, Cristiano Ronaldo constantly adjusted and optimized his playing style according to his age and the needs of the team. His desire to win is almost paranoid. This "winner's mentality" drives him to constantly push his limits and infects his teammates around him. He ignored criticism and stayed focused on playing and scoring goals.

Immortal legend, eternal benchmark

As of October 2025, Cristiano Ronaldo's career goals have approached the thousand-goal mark. The honor room displays 5 Golden Globe Awards, 5 World Players of the Year, 4 European Golden Boots and countless league and Champions League trophies. But compared to these cold numbers, the most valuable asset he left to world football is the spirit of never admitting defeat and constantly surpassing himself.

From the young boy who chased fans in Madeira, to the superstar who conquered Europe and stunned the world, to now over 40 years old and still writing an immortal legend on the court, the story of Cristiano Ronaldo is not over yet. He has proven that for a true king, age is really just a number. His existence itself is one of the most perfect interpretations of the sport of football. He also deserves to be the third generation of football kings in the history of football, alongside Pele and Maradona.