Cristiano Ronaldo describing them as an "intentional defamation campaign" with parts significantly "altered and/or completely fabricated", a claim which "Der Spiegel" categorically refuted. Sporting CP Manchester United Real Madrid Portugal Notes Citations Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (; born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Juventus and captains the Portugal national team. Often considered the best player in the world and regarded by many as one of the greatest players of all time, Ronaldo has a record-tying five Ballon d'Or awards, the most for a European player, and is the
Cristiano Ronaldo in the box, and score from few opportunities. Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the two best players of his generation, alongside Lionel Messi. Ronaldo quickly established himself among the world's best players in his early 20s, featuring as the core component for Manchester United in the mid-to-late 2000s. However, after winning his first Ballon d'Or by a record-high vote count at age 23, the public debate regarding his qualities as a player moved beyond his status in contemporary football to the possibility that he was one of the greatest players in history. Universally acclaimed for his prolific and