TOP 10 facts you may not have known about Cristiano Ronaldo! Did you know he was the inspiration for the naming of a space discovery?

Named after an American president, the inspiration for the naming of a galaxy, a field of study, and one of the best football players of all time. This is Cristiano Ronaldo. But what are some things you might not know about the Portuguese star? Or should you actually know?

Football site Goal recently came up with some very interesting facts about Cristiano Ronaldo that every fan of his should know. So let’s take a look at the top 10 interesting facts you might not know about the Portuguese playing legend.

He was named after the American president

Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985 in Funchal on the island of Madeira, which lies in the Atlantic Ocean. In any case, he got his name from former US President Ronald Reagan.

His mother was reportedly a big fan of the historic fortieth US president. It should be added, Ronaldo was born only a month after Reagan was sworn in for his second term in the White House.

Ronaldo’s father was a custodian at his first club

Ronaldo began his football career at Andorinha at the age of eight, with his father – Jose Dinis Aveiro – serving as the club’s custodian.

The young Portuguese’s talent was then noticed by Sporting Lisbon, or rather by its youth academy. At the age of 12, he moved to the hinterland, where he could further develop his football skills.

To Real Madrid for a record transfer fee

Ronaldo played 31 games for Lisbon, scoring five goals and assisting six others. His performances in a Sporting jersey were then noticed by Manchester United, to whom he transferred in August 2003 for a sum of 19 million euros.

It was here that Ronaldo showed the world that he was a future superstar. With the Red Devils he dominated the Premier League three times, the Champions League once, the FA Cup once. Twice he also rejoiced in winning the trophy for the winner of the English League Cup and the English Super Cup.

As for individual statistics – three times he was named the best player of the year, in this period he also once received the UEFA Best Player award.

So it’s no wonder that Real Madrid picked him up in the summer of 2009 and paid a then record transfer fee of £80 million (€94 million) for him. And his achievements during his time at the royal club, we believe, don’t even need to be mentioned.

But to cut a long story short – four Ballons d’Or, four Champions League titles, two La Liga titles and a host of other titles and accolades. It was during his time at the royal club that Ronaldo proved that he was rightfully called the best footballer on the planet. Along with Lionel Messi, of course.

The greatest international goalscorer of all time

With 118 goals for Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo is the top international goalscorer among active footballers.

The first ever Puskás Award winner

The Puskás Award is given to the player who scores the most goals in a given calendar year. It should be added, this award started in 2009 and Cristiano Ronaldo became its first ever winner.

Ronaldo won it for his successful long-range effort against Porto (2008/09 season) in a Champions League match.

Successful businessman

In addition to his success on the pitch, Ronaldo is also a successful businessman with a range of products under the CR7 brand, which includes clothing, footwear and perfume. He also has a hotel, a museum and a number of restaurants in Madeira, Portugal.

A museum dedicated to Ronaldo

The CR7 Museum is a tribute to one of the best footballers of all time. Located in Funchal on the island of Madeira, this museum displays artefacts and memorabilia from Ronaldo’s personal and professional life.

Including his childhood or his rise to fame. The museum offers its visitors a pretty solid interactive experience, thanks to various multimedia exhibitions, interactive games and objects such as the Ballon d’Or or the jerseys of the Portuguese national team.

Ronaldo as the inspiration for the naming of the galaxy

In 2015, astronomers led by David Sobral, Lecturer in Astrophysics at Lancaster University, made the new discovery of the galaxy below, using the Vely Large Telescope (VLT), as well as the Subaru Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope (NASA).

The research team consisted of members from the University of California, Riverside, the University of Geneva, Leiden University and the University of Lisbon. The galaxy’s name – COSMOS Redshift 7 (CR7) – was inspired by Ronald himself.

Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport

Madeira International Airport, also known as Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, is an international airport located on the Portuguese island of Madeira.

It was renamed in 2017 just for the number of the star footballer who was born in Madeira. Of note, this airport serves as a hub for several airlines that connect Madeira with destinations across Europe and the Atlantic.

In conclusion, Ronaldo, as a field of study

Interestingly, Ronaldo is also a subject of study at the University of British Columbia Okanagan in Canada. In fact, sociology students at this university have the opportunity to study the life and career of this superstar as part of their studies.

Sources: Goal, Transfermarkt, UEFA