Cristiano Ronaldo at 36: The perfect marriage of will power and audacity

During one of his innumerable Ballon d’Or ceremony appearances, Cristiano Ronaldo was asked what his favourite goal in his career was. With quite the signature arrogance and air of confidence, Ronaldo said: “For me, the next goal is most important all the time.”

Since then the Portugal-born has become the highest all-time goalscorer in men’s football with 760 career goals and even as he celebrates his 36th birthday today, the hunger and the undefiable spirit just never seems to die down. 

At 11, little Cristiano left his house and family in Madeira to carve out a chance in possibly one of the biggest youth systems of the country, Sporting Lisbon. In what he defines “the most difficult time in my life,” Ronaldo was trying to adjust to life in a foreign land at a very nascent stage in his life.  

Although when it came to footballing prowess, everyone at the club could see the flair even at that age. He would dance past players with ease. However, football was never just about poise. Never will be. It calls for an exhaustive physical drive, which only a very few could and can deliver at the highest level.

ALSO READ | Is Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally of 760 goals really a world record?

At that age, Ronaldo was extremely skinny.”It’s a shame he’s so small,” everyone remarked behind his back.

But it was at that very moment the little boy from Madeira decided to be better than everyone, stronger than everyone. 

“When you lose, it’s like you’re starving. When you win, it’s still like you’re starving, but you ate a little crumb.” – Cristiano Ronaldo    

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner made his first-team debut for Sporting Lisbon at the age of 17 years, six months and nine days against Inter Milan in the Champions League preliminary rounds on August 14, 2002. 

However, it was the night at the brand new Jose Alvalade Stadium when Sporting defeated Manchester United 3-1, Ronaldo ran rings around John O’Shea and the future five-time Champions League winner announced himself to the world. 

With the performance, Ronaldo had caught the eye of Alex Ferguson and the Red Devil boss was determined to acquire the 18-year-old on a permanent move urgently.

In 2003, Ronaldo became Manchester United’s first Portuguese player when he signed for a transfer fee of £12.24 million, making him, at the time, the most expensive teenager in English football history.  

He made his debut in a 4-0 routing of Bolton Wanderers when he came on as a substitute for Nicky Butt at the 60-minute-mark.

After six years, when Ronaldo left Manchester United, he had a trophy cabinet boasting of three Premier League titles, an FA Cup trophy, a glorious Champions League, and on the individual front the first of his five Ballon d’Ors and a Premier League Golden Boot.

Shattering the record books, Ronaldo joined Real Madrid for a world-record transfer fee of £80 million in 2009. This was the perfect marriage of two extremely ambitious, overtly egoistic and audaciously driven individual bodies.

With Ronaldo, Los Blancos conquered Europe in Napolean-like fashion. From a free-willing winger, Ronaldo converted himself into a goal-scoring machine building up records only rivalled by Lionel Messi. 

In just eight seasons, with 451 goals in 438 games for Real Madrid, Ronaldo became the highest goal-scorer in the club’s history. He won four Champions League trophies (with three on the trot), two La Liga titles, two Copa del Ray and three Club World Cups. His individual accolades during his time at the Spanish capital were unparalleled. 

And then in 2018, Ronaldo and Real Madrid had an abrupt ending. He joined Turin giants Juventus for a fee of €100 million — the highest fees paid by an Italian club. The 36-year-old has already won two consecutive Serie A titles at the club, however, he is on the hunt to quench his thirst for yet another Champions League glory.

He has been part of the UEFA Team of the Year and FIFA FIFPro World XI every year since 2008. He is also the highest scorer in the UEFA Champions League history with 134 goals. 

For the national outfit, Ronaldo had tasted title defeats on quite a few occasions. In 2004, Portugal were pinned as the clear favourites in their UEFA Euro final encounter against Greece at home. 

But at the final whistle, Greece emerged as the shock winners owing to a lone goal Angelos Charisteas. Ronaldo was famously pictured crying on the touchline. 

But finally, in 2016, it was the redemption moment for the No. 7 as a 109th-minute winner from Eder against France sealed the UEFA Euro title for Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo. Although Ronaldo was forced off with an injury after just 25 minutes in the final following a challenge from Dimitri Payet, his contribution in the entire tournament is undeniable. 

ALSO READ |  Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar: The never-ending quest for Ballon d’Or

For his three goals, Ronaldo was awarded the Silver Boot in the tournament.

In June 2019, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Switzerland to secure a spot in the UEFA Nations League final. And soon Ronaldo celebrated his second international trophy as Portugal defeated the Netherlands in the coveted final.

Currently, Ronaldo has 102 goals and he is the highest active goal scorer in men’s international football. He is eight goals away from eclipsing Ali Daei’s record and becoming the all-time highest goal scorer in international men’s football.

While we celebrate the footballing institution that is Cristiano Ronaldo, it is often the journey that we forget of the 15-year-old who once turned to his teammates and said to them, “I’ll be the best in the world one day.”

They laughed that day.

But his sheer audacity to wake up every morning and believe in himself has made Ronaldo an anomaly, and rise above the heaps of mediocrity.