Cristiano Ronaldo childhood: The untold story of Cristiano Ronaldo’s childhood, from Grass to Grace

The story of Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood experience is inspiring and almost unbelievable. While the world is mesmerized by his incredible prowess on the field, not many know that life was not always rosy for this football hero. What is this fascinating story about Ronaldo? Well, let's unpack it for you.

Some people have claimed that leaders are born, not made. However, if Cristiano Ronaldo childhood story is anything to go by, it is safe to say that early-life experiences shape us, but we decide the kind of people we become. Here is a peek into Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood story.

Cristiano Ronaldo profile summary

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Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood

Cristiano, popularly known as CR7, was born in February 1985 on the Portuguese island of Madeira. He is the last-born of four children, Hugo, Elma and Katia. Ronaldo enjoyed a close relationship with his siblings, who cared for him in every way, freeing him to pursue his football passion.

Ronaldo's father named him after former U.S.A President Ronald Regan, the 40th president who was in power from 1981-1989. Did Ronaldo grow up poor? Yes, the footballer shares painful experiences he remembers while growing up.

Notably, he recalls begging for burgers outside the local McDonald's as a 12-year-old with his teammates because they had trouble making ends meet. A lady called Edna, and two colleagues always gave them free burgers.

Cristiano Ronaldo's parents

Ronaldo's father, Jose Dinis Aveiro, served his country as a soldier who fought in the horrific war against Mozambique and Angola. He returned home broken and jobless, which pre-disposed him to mental health issues. Unfortunately, he turned to alcohol to deal with the devastation, severely affecting his family relationship.

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However, he started working as a municipal gardener and a part-time kit man for a local football club, which became Ronnie's stepping stone into the football world. Cristiano Ronaldo and his father were close but never shared heart-to-heart conversations because of his alcoholism.

Unfortunately, Jose Dinis passed away in 2005 after succumbing to liver failure. His last-born son was 20 years old at the time, and his budding career was only beginning to thrive. Due to his experience with an alcoholic father, the Portuguese player swore to keep off alcohol and become a better father.

Ronaldo's mother, Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro, was a cook and a cleaner. Unfortunately, she struggled to fend for her family due to her husband's alcoholism. Her children often joined her as she cleaned and earned extra income to meet their basic needs.

In her book Mother Courage, Maria shares how she planned to abort her last-born child, Ronaldo, due to financial constraints in the family. She expressed her desire to the doctors, but they declined. To terminate the pregnancy, CR7's mom drank warm beer and ran frantically, but her efforts failed.

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Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood home

Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood home address is unknown. However, he grew up with his parents and siblings on the island of Madeira. The siblings shared a room while growing up, and some of Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood photos depict that the four shared a close relationship and did several activities together.

School life

As a young boy in school, Ronaldo bore the nickname ''Cry baby'' because he frequently cried when things did not go his way. He started school but was not interested in academics and hardly did his homework.

Ronnie was expelled from school after throwing a chair at his teacher, claiming that his teacher had disrespected him. Eventually, he quit school at 14 and pursued his passion for football. Thankfully, his family supported him throughout his journey.

Early career

When he was eight, the football legend joined the Andorinha football academy, where his father worked as a kit man. He was there for two years before proceeding to Clube Desportivo Nacional, another football academy on the island of Madeira. He won several awards and trophies, and his talent on the field stood out.

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CR7 left his parents' home at 12 to join Sporting Lisbon Youth Academy. The academy visited his local club and declared that the player who scored the most goals would get a place at the institution.

One of the local club members, Albert Fantrau, was Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood friend. After scoring one goal each, Albert deliberately passed the ball to Ronaldo for him to score, earning him a slot in the academy.

Fantrau explained that this selfless act was because he was confident that CR7 was a better player. The two have maintained a close friendship to date, and Ronaldo takes care of him. Determined to deliver his family from poverty, Cristiano started his successful career and now boasts a net worth of approximately $500 million.

Cristian Ronaldo's heart surgery

When he was 15, Ronnie was diagnosed with tachycardia, a condition where the heart rate is higher than normal. Thankfully, medics detected the disease early enough, and he underwent laser surgery to correct it.

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Within a few days, he was back on the field running at high speeds, which became his signature. His impeccable speed earned him another nickname, ''Little bee.''

Ronaldo joins Manchester United

In 2003, Cristiano joined Manchester United Football Club at 18 years old. The signing, worth a whopping £12.24 million, made him the most expensive teenager in English football history. He became an instant sensation, winning the FA Cup in his premiere season.

Joining the Old Trafford club was the beginning of a successful career. At 23 years, Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or and shortly after moved to Real Madrid in a deal worth $107 million. He later went back to Manchester United and later moved to Juventus. Today, he also plays for his home national team as a forward.

Quick facts about Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood

1. The football legend was born on February 5, 1985, on the island of Madeira in Cape Verde, Portugal.
2. CR7's parents are Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro and Jose Dinis Aveiro. Unfortunately, his father, Jose, died in 2005 and did not experience his son becoming the star he is today.
3. Ronaldo's father was a soldier who served his country in the war against Mozambique and Angola.
4. Cristiano is the last born among four siblings, Hugo, Katia, and Elma. From Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood pics, they enjoyed a close relationship despite the challenges while growing up.
5. The Portuguese player is a father of 5 and is reportedly in a relationship with Georgina Rodriguez.
6. Cristiano goes by the nicknames CR7, Ron, Ronnie, and Rocket Ronaldo. As a young boy, he was known as ''Cry baby'' or ''Little bee'' because of his speed on the field.
7. Ronaldo underwent laser heart surgery at 15 years old after being diagnosed with tachycardia, a condition where the heart rate is higher than normal.

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Cristiano Ronaldo childhood chronicles are an inspiration to many netizens that your beginning should not dictate the future. Today, the player has touched lives through various charitable activities, and his family enjoys the fruit of his hard work.

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