A dusty field, crumbling walls, salty winds blowing in from the Atlantic… It was here, on the island of Madeira, that it all began. A boy with mischievous eyes took his first steps, unaware that one day he would become a global icon. Yet, nothing predestined this youngest of four siblings to conquer stadiums around the world. He might never have seen the light of day…
A childhood away from the spotlight
Cristiano Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, into a modest family. His first name? An unexpected nod to Ronald Reagan, his father’s favorite actor. But this Hollywood touch didn’t make his daily life any easier. His father, a stadium maintenance worker, struggled to make ends meet, and the shadow of alcohol hung over the house. Ronaldo would later say with emotion: “I never really knew my father.”
From a very young age, he showed a strong temperament, sometimes difficult to channel. At school, he struggled to fit in and was even expelled after an incident with a teacher. But what he didn’t express in class, he unleashed on the field, with the ball at his feet, where everything became simpler, clearer, and more fluid.
The heartbreaking departure for Lisbon
At just 12 years old, Ronaldo left his native island to join Sporting CP in Lisbon. Far from his family, he stayed in boarding school and learned to fend for himself. He suffered from homesickness, ridicule for his accent, and nights spent crying silently. But one thing never wavered: his unwavering determination .
And yet, even his heart tried to slow him down. A heart problem detected in the teenager could have ended his career before it even began. Fortunately, a quick but decisive laser surgery has him back in action.
