Way back in 2003, while returning from the US after a few hectic months meeting clients, I took a pitstop in the UK, meeting friends in Manchester, enjoying the late English summer. And it was there while sipping my espresso at a local cafe, that I saw a Manchester United jersey #7 hanging in one of the nearby shops with a strange name embossed, a certain Ronaldo.
Now having known enough about both the Brazilian and Manchester United shirt numbers, I knew something was amiss. #7 was the most famous shirt number at United having been donned by United legends of yesteryears: George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona. A certain David Beckham, the then icon of Manchester wore it for years with aplomb but had left for Real Madrid over the summer. Was multiple BDO winner, the Brazilian Ronaldo joining United in the transfer window then? But he was well entrenched at Real Madrid. What exactly was going on?
It transpired that Alex Ferguson was so impressed by a precocious teenager from Sporting Lisboa (at a friendly, a week before), that he quickly acquired him for a whopping £12 million, an England record for a teenager. And thus began the fairytale of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo, had since then, for the next 2+ decades, become the platinum standard of world football along with a certain Argentine from Rosario. While the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly ruled the footballing charts and social media eyeballs, with the perennial debate on who is the better/ best of their generation, both players gave us unlimited joy on the football turf.
Ronaldo began by developing into a beast at United breaking records and winning all possible accolades culminating in a UCL win, in the process becoming the 1st United BDO winner since Best, 40 yrs back. His phenomenal performances at United, earned him a record transfer to Real Madrid for £80 million. His stock & performance continued to increase at Madrid, winning multiple silverware including 4 more UCL titles, the proverbial Holy Grail of Club football.
Internationally, with him captaining his country now, success was not far away. Defeating favorites France in the final of the European Championship in 2016, Portugal won their first major NT success, finally crossing a huge barrier. While the WC still eluded them, Portugal had become a name to reckon with, which every international team now dreaded.
After almost a decade and 300+ goals for Real, CR7 joined the Old Lady of Turin for €100 million in 2018, yet another record transfer for a player over 30. While Ronaldo did not win the UCL for Juve, he ended up winning the Capocannoniere award for highest scorer, thus becoming the first footballer to finish as top scorer in the English, Spanish and Italian leagues.
Ronaldo’s circle was complete when he rejoined his former favorite, Man United in 2021, breaking the all time shirt sales record after a transfer, within 24 hours of rejoining. However, an ageing Ronaldo’s 2nd stint at United was not as successful in spite of him scoring goals with politics taking over the dressing room, and he left for the wealthy Saudi league after a couple of years back at United.
After a modest 2026 World Cup, where Portugal were ousted in the pre-quarters by Iberian neighbours and eventual champions Spain in the injury time of a quite drab encounter, Ronaldo confirmed his World Cup closure, ahead of an impending retirement. That finally happened with his official retirement from international football on 5th November, just about a month after his long-term adversary Lionel Messi also retired from the international scene.
CR7 has been a dazzling jewel in world football, its shining star and galactico. His 2 decade plus footballing stories & silverware will motivate millions of youngsters in the future, most importantly for his discipline & legendary fitness craze that allowed him to sustain elite physical performance well into his 40s. The world of football might have seen the logical end of a superstar, but his legacy will stand the test of time till as long as the game is played. It is without doubt that he will be remembered as an all time great and I wish him a life of peace away from the pitch from where he can give back to the beautiful game, in multiple different ways.
