CRISTIANO RONALDO

Despite months of negotiation to sign a new Real Madrid contract,[235] on 10 July 2018, Ronaldo signed a four-year contract with Italian club Juventus after completing a €100 million transfer, which included an additional €12 million in other fees,[236] and solidarity contributions to Ronaldo's youth clubs. The transfer was the highest ever for a player over 30 years old,[237] and the highest paid by an Italian club.[238] Upon signing, Ronaldo cited his need for a new challenge as his rationale for departing Madrid,[239] but later attributed the transfer to the lack of support he felt was shown by club president Florentino Pérez.[240]

On 16 September, Ronaldo scored his first goals for Juventus in his fourth appearance for the club in a 2–1 home win over Sassuolo in Serie A. His second was the 400th league goal of his career.[241] On 19 September, in his first Champions League match for Juventus, he was sent off in the 29th minute for "violent conduct", his first red card in 154 Champions League appearances.[242] Ronaldo became the first player in history to win 100 Champions League matches, setting up Mario Mandžukić's winner in a 1–0 home victory over Valencia, which sealed Juventus's passage to the knock-out stages of the competition.[243] In December, he scored his tenth Serie A goal of the season, from the penalty spot, netting the final goal in a 3–0 away win over rivals Fiorentina; with this goal, Ronaldo became the first Juventus player since John Charles in 1957 to score 10 goals in his first 14 league games for the club.[244] After placing second in both the UEFA Men's Player of the Year and The Best FIFA Men's Player for the first time in three years, behind Luka Modrić, Ronaldo performances in 2018 also saw him voted runner-up for the 2018 Ballon d'Or, finishing once again behind his former Real Madrid teammate.[245]

Ronaldo won his first trophy with the club in January 2019, the 2018 Supercoppa Italiana, after he scored the game-winning and only goal from a header against A.C. Milan.[246] On 10 February, Ronaldo scored in a 3–0 away win over Sassuolo; the ninth consecutive away game in which he had scored for Juventus in the league, which enabled him to equal Giuseppe Signori's single season Serie A record of most consecutive away games with at least one goal.[247] On 12 March, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 home win against Atlético Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, helping Juventus overcome a two-goal deficit to reach the quarter-finals.[248] The following month, Ronaldo scored his 125th goal in the competition, opening the scoring in a 1–1 away draw in the first leg of Juventus' quarter-final against Ajax, on 10 April.[249] In the second leg in Turin on 16 April, he scored the opening goal of the match in the first half, but Juventus eventually lost the match 2–1, and were eliminated from the competition.[250] On 20 April, Ronaldo played in the Scudetto clinching game against rivals Fiorentina as Juventus won their eighth successive Serie A title after a 2–1 home win, thereby becoming the first player to win league titles in England, Spain and Italy.[251] On 27 April, he scored his 600th club goal, the equaliser in a 1–1 away draw against rivals Inter.[252] Finishing his first Serie A campaign with 21 goals and 8 assists, Ronaldo won the inaugural Serie A Award for Most Valuable Player.[253]

Ronaldo scored his first goal of the 2019–20 season for Juventus in a 4–3 home win over Napoli in Serie A on 31 August 2019.[254] On 23 September, he came in 3rd place for the 2019 Best FIFA Men's Player Award.[255] On 1 October, he reached several milestones in Juventus's 3–0 group stage win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League: his goal during the match saw him score for the 14th consecutive Champions League season, equalling Raúl and Messi's record; he also broke Iker Casillas' record for most Champions League wins of all time, and equalled Raúl's record of scoring against 33 different Champions League opponents.[256] On 6 November, in a 2–1 away win against Lokomotiv Moscow in the Champions League group stage, he equalled Paolo Maldini as the second-most capped player in UEFA club competitions with 174 appearances.[257] On 18 December, Ronaldo performed an athletic feet, in leaping to a height of 8.39 ft (2.56m) – higher than the crossbar (8 ft) – before heading the winning goal in a 2–1 away win for Juventus against Sampdoria in Serie A.[258]

Ronaldo scored his first Serie A hat-trick on 6 January 2020, in a 4–0 home win against Cagliari. His 56th career hat-trick, he became only the second player after Alexis Sánchez to score hat-tricks in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A.[259] On 2 February, he scored twice from the penalty spot in a 3–0 home win over Fiorentina, equalling David Trezeguet's club record of nine consecutive appearances in Serie A with at least one goal.[260] He broke the club record six days later, when he scored in his tenth consecutive league game, a 2–1 away defeat to Hellas Verona.[261] On 22 February, Ronaldo scored for a record-equalling 11th consecutive Serie A game (a record shared with Gabriel Batistuta and Fabio Quagliarella), in what was his 1,000th senior professional game, in a 2–1 away win for Juventus against SPAL.[262]

On 22 June, he scored a penalty in a 2–0 away win over Bologna, overtaking Rui Costa to become the highest scoring Portuguese player in Serie A history.[263] On 4 July, he assisted Juan Cuadrado's goal and later scored his 25th league goal of the season from a free kick in a 4–1 home win over rivals Torino, becoming the first Juventus player to achieve this milestone since Omar Sívori in 1961; the goal was also his first from a free kick with the club, after 43 attempts.[264

On 20 July, Ronaldo scored twice in a 2–1 home win over Lazio; his first goal was his 50th in Serie A. He became the second fastest player to reach this landmark, after Gunnar Nordahl, and the first player in history to reach 50 goals in the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A. With his brace, he also reached 30 league goals for the season, becoming just the third player in Juventus's history to reach that milestone in a single season,[265][266] after Felice Borel in 1933–34 and John Hansen in 1951–52. Moreover, he became the oldest player, at the age of 35 years and 166 days, to score more than 30 goals in one of the five top European leagues since Ronnie Rooke with Arsenal in 1948.[267] On 26 July, he scored the opening goal in a 2–0 home win over Sampdoria, which saw Juventus crowned Serie A champions for a ninth consecutive time.[268] He finished his second Serie A campaign with a total of 31 goals and 6 assists, which made him the second–highest goalscorer in the league behind only European Golden Shoe winner Ciro Immobile, with 36 goals, who also equalled Gonzalo Higuaín's record for most goals in a single Serie A season.[269][270] On 7 August, Ronaldo scored a brace in a 2–1 home win against Lyon in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, which saw him finish the season with 37 goals in all competitions; the tally allowed him to break Felice Borel's club record of 36 goals in a single season, which he had set in 1933–34.[271] However, despite the victory, Juventus tied with Lyon 2–2 on aggregate, and were eliminated from the competition on the away goals rule.[272]

On 20 September 2020, Ronaldo scored in Juventus's opening match of the season, a 3–0 home win over Sampdoria in Serie A.[273] On 1 November, after Ronaldo took nearly three weeks to recover from COVID-19, he returned to action against Spezia where he came off the bench in the second half and scored within the first three minutes. He later scored a second goal from the penalty spot in an eventual 4–1 away win.[274] On 2 December, he scored a goal against Dynamo Kyiv in a Champions League group stage match to reach his 750th senior career goal.[275] Ronaldo played his 100th match in all competitions for Juventus on 13 December, scoring two penalties in a 3–1 away win to Genoa in the league, and bringing his goal tally to 79.[276] On 2 March 2021, he scored a goal in a 3–0 win over Spezia in his 600th league match, to become the first player to score at least 20 goals over 12 consecutive seasons in the top five leagues of Europe.[277]

Ronaldo began his international career with Portugal under-15 in 2001. During his international youth career, Ronaldo would represent the under-15, under-17, under-20, under-21, and under-23 national sides, amassing 34 youth caps and scoring 18 goals overall.[8]

At age 18, Ronaldo made his first senior appearance for Portugal in a 1–0 victory over Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003.[278] He was subsequently called up for UEFA Euro 2004, held in his home country, and scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to eventual champions Greece.[279] After converting his penalty in a shoot-out against England in the quarter-finals,[280] he helped Portugal reach the final by scoring the opening goal in a 2–1 win over the Netherlands.[281] He was featured in the team of the tournament, having provided two assists in addition to his two goals.[282]

Ronaldo was Portugal's second-highest scorer in the European qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup with seven goals.[283] During the tournament, he scored his first World Cup goal against Iran with a penalty kick in Portugal's second match of the group stage.[284] In Portugal's round of 16 match against the Netherlands, an infamously dirty game, Ronaldo was forced off injured in the first half, following a tackle from Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz. Ronaldo would accuse Boulahrouz of intentionally trying to get him injured after the match, although Portugal won 1–0 and Ronaldo recovered in time for the next round.[285] In Portugal's quarter-final against England, Ronaldo's Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney was sent off for stamping on Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho. Although the referee later clarified that the red card was only due to Rooney's infraction,[286] the English media speculated that Ronaldo had influenced his decision by aggressively complaining, after which he was seen in replays winking at Portugal's bench following Rooney's dismissal.[287] Ronaldo went on to score the vital winning penalty during the shoot-out which sent Portugal into the semi-finals.[288] Ronaldo was subsequently booed during their 1–0 semi-final defeat to France.[289] FIFA's Technical Study Group overlooked him for the tournament's Best Young Player award and handed it to Germany's Lukas Podolski, citing his behaviour as a factor in the decision.[290] Following the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo would go on to represent Portugal in four qualifying games for Euro 2008, scoring two goals in the process.[291][292]

One day after his 22nd birthday, Ronaldo captained Portugal for the first time in a friendly game against Brazil on 6 February 2007,[293] as requested by Portuguese Football Federation president Carlos Silva, who had died two days earlier.[294] Ahead of Euro 2008, he was given the number 7 shirt for the first time.[295] While he scored eight goals in the qualification,[296] the second-highest tally, he scored just one goal in the tournament, netting the second goal of their 3–1 win in the group stage match against the Czech Republic; in the same game, he also set-up Portugal's third goal in injury time, which was scored by Quaresma, and was named man of the match for his performance.[297][298] Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals with a 3–2 loss against eventual finalists Germany.[299]

After Portugal's unsuccessful performance in the European Championship, Luiz Felipe Scolari was replaced as coach by Carlos Queiroz, formerly the assistant manager at United.[300] Queiroz made Ronaldo the squad's permanent captain in July 2008.[301] Ronaldo failed to score a single goal in the qualification for the 2010 World Cup, as Portugal narrowly avoided a premature elimination from the tournament with a play-off victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.[302] In the group stage of the World Cup, he was named man of the match in all three matches against Ivory Coast, North Korea, and Brazil.[303][304][305] His only goal of the tournament came in their 7–0 rout of North Korea, which marked his first international goal in 16 months.[306] Portugal's World Cup ended with a 1–0 loss against eventual champions Spain in the round of 16.[307]

Ronaldo scored seven goals in the qualification for Euro 2012, including two strikes against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-offs, to send Portugal into the tournament, where they were drawn in a "group of death".[308] In the last group stage game against the Netherlands, Ronaldo scored twice to secure a 2–1 victory.[309] He scored a header in the quarter-final against the Czech Republic to give his team a 1–0 win.[310] In both games against the Netherlands and the Czech Republic he was named man of the match.[311][312] After the semi-finals against Spain ended scoreless, with Ronaldo having sent three shots over the bar,[313] Portugal were eliminated in the penalty shoot-out. Ronaldo did not take a penalty as he had been slated to take the unused fifth slot,[314] a decision that was questioned by the media[315] and later criticized by Frank Wagner and Beau Bourne of Bleacher Report, Graham MacAree of SB Nation and by Yahoo Sports' Martin Rogers.[316][317][318][319] Ronaldo's own teammate, Nani, said that Ronaldo "demanded" to take the last penalty.[320] As the joint top scorer with three goals, alongside five other players, he was again included in the team of the tournament.[321]

During the qualification for the 2014 World Cup, Ronaldo scored a total of eight goals. A qualifying match on 17 October 2012, a 1–1 draw against Northern Ireland, earned him his 100th cap.[322] His first international hat-trick also came against Northern Ireland, when he found the net three times in a 15-minute spell of a 4–2 qualifying victory on 6 September 2013.[323] After Portugal failed to qualify during the regular campaign, Ronaldo scored all four of the team's goals in the play-offs against Sweden – billed as a battle between Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimović – which ensured their place at the tournament.[324] His hat-trick in the second leg took his international tally to 47 goals, equaling Pauleta's record.[325] Ronaldo subsequently scored twice in a 5–1 friendly win over Cameroon on 5 March 2014 to become his country's all-time top scorer.[326]

Ronaldo took part in the tournament despite suffering from patellar tendinitis and a related thigh injury,[327][328] potentially risking his career.[329] Ronaldo later commented: "If we had two or three Cristiano Ronaldos in the team I would feel more comfortable. But we don't."[330] Despite ongoing doubts over his fitness, being forced to abort practice twice,[331] Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes of the opening match against Germany, though he was unable to prevent a 4–0 defeat.[332] After assisting an injury-time 2–2 equaliser against the United States,[333] he scored a late match-winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Ghana.[334] His 50th international goal made him the first Portuguese to play and score in three World Cups.[335] Portugal were eliminated from the tournament at the close of the group stage on goal difference.[334]

Ronaldo scored five goals, including a hat-trick against Armenia, in the qualification for Euro 2016.[336] With the only goal in another victory over Armenia on 14 November 2014, he reached 23 goals in the European Championship, including qualifying matches, to become the competition's all-time leading goalscorer.[337] At the start of the tournament, however, Ronaldo failed to convert his chances in Portugal's draws against Iceland and Austria, despite taking a total of 20 shots on goal. In the latter match, he overtook Luís Figo as his nation's most capped player with his 128th international appearance, which ended scoreless after he missed a penalty in the second half.[338] With two goals and an assist in the last match of the group stage, a 3–3 draw against Hungary, Ronaldo became the first player to score in four European Championships, having made a record 17 appearances in the tournament.[339][340] Though placed third in their group behind Hungary and Iceland, his team qualified for the knockout round as a result of the competition's newly expanded format.[341]

In Portugal's first knockout match, Ronaldo's only attempt on goal was parried by Croatia's goalkeeper into the path of Ricardo Quaresma, whose finish then secured a 1–0 victory late in extra time.[342] After his team progressed past Poland on penalties,[343] Ronaldo became the first player to participate in three European Championship semi-finals;[344] he scored the opening goal and assisted a second in a 2–0 win against Wales, equaling Michel Platini as the competition's all-time top scorer with nine goals.[345] In the final against hosts France, Ronaldo was forced off after just 25 minutes following a challenge from Dimitri Payet. After multiple treatments and attempts to play on, he was stretchered off the pitch and replaced by Quaresma. During extra time, substitute Eder scored in the 109th minute to earn Portugal a 1–0 victory.[346] As team captain, Ronaldo later lifted the trophy in celebration of his country's first triumph in a major tournament. He was awarded the Silver Boot as the joint second-highest goalscorer, with three goals and three assists, and was named to the team of the tournament for the third time in his career.[347][348]

Following the Euro 2016 success, Ronaldo played his first professional match on his home island of Madeira on 28 March 2017 at age 32, opening a 2–3 friendly defeat to Sweden at the Estádio dos Barreiros. With the goal, he tied with Miroslav Klose on 71 goals as the third-highest scoring European in international football.[349]

In Portugal's opening match of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup against Mexico on 17 June, Cristiano Ronaldo set-up Quaresma's opening goal in a 2–2 draw.[350] Three days later, he scored in a 1–0 win over hosts Russia.[351] On 24 June, he scored from a penalty in a 4–0 win over New Zealand, which saw Portugal top their group and advance to the semi-finals of the competition. With his 75th international goal, Ronaldo also equalled Sándor Kocsis as the second-highest European international goalscorer of all-time, behind only Ferenc Puskás.[352][353] He was named man of the match in all three of Portugal's group stage matches.[354] Ronaldo left the competition early: after Chile defeated Portugal 3–0 on penalties in the semi-finals, he was allowed to return home to be with his newborn children.[355] Therefore, he missed Portugal's third-place play-off match in which Portugal defeated Mexico 2–1 after extra time.[356]

On 31 August 2017, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in a 5–1 win in a World Cup qualifier over the Faroe Islands, which saw him overtake Pelé and equal Hussein Saeed as the joint-fifth-highest goalscorer in international football with 78 goals.[357] These goals brought his tally in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers to 14, equalling Predrag Mijatović's record for most goals in a single UEFA senior men's qualifying campaign, and also saw him break the record for the most goals scored in a single European qualifying group, overtaking the previous record of 13 goals set by David Healy and Robert Lewandowski. Ronaldo's hat-trick took his World Cup qualifying goals total to 29, making him the highest scorer in European World Cup qualifiers, ahead of Andriy Shevchenko, and the highest goalscorer in World Cup qualifying and finals matches combined, with 32 goals, ahead of Miroslav Klose.[358] Ronaldo later added to this tally by scoring a goal against Andorra in a 2–0 victory.[359]