Cristiano Ronaldo – a ‘real’ superstar

ON the second of November last, Portuguese international superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 99th and 100th competitive goals for Real Madrid as they defeated French club Lyon 2-0 in a Champions League game.

The now world-famous goal-machine reached the century milestone in only his 105th appearance for the Bernabeu club – in 8,859 minutes of actual playing time – and he’s only been at the Bernabeu Stadium since June 2009!

His100th goal came in the 69th minute from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by defender Mouhamadou Dabo.

The previous record for the quickest century of goals for Real was held by the great Hungarian inside-left (number 10) Ferenc Puskas who reached the milestone in 106 games.

The ‘Galloping Major’ played for Real from 1958 to 1966 during which time he struck 242 goals in only 262 appearances (156 in 180 La Liga games).

Can Ronaldo better that? Oh yes, certainly he can – if he keeps himself fit and out of trouble! Ronaldo’s winning brace against Lyon sealed Madrid’s place in the last 16 of the Champions League and left boss Jose Mourinho purring over his star player.

The ‘Special One’ said: “It’s an incredible record for anyone to score 100 goals for Real Madrid. I think he’s fantastic.” Ronaldo, battled it out with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi for the ‘World Player of the Year’ crown.

The little Argentinian ace who, like Ronaldo, is bang in form – he fired in two hat-tricks in quick succession last month – has now netted 202 goals in 286 first-class matches for the reigning Spanish and European champions.

Ronaldo admits: “I have a long way to go to match, even get near, those statistics, but who knows!” He is certainly quite capable of scoring another 100 goals in his next 100 appearances, fitness and the odd suspension permitting.

And for the record, he’s so far scored against 31 different teams, popping in ten goals against Malaga, who he loves playing against! And oh, by the way, at 30 November 2011, Ronaldo had netted 306 goals in 636 football matches at various levels, which includes League, all Cup competitions, full and intermediate internationals, tour games and friendlies….. that’s damn good, exceptionally good I would say.

BORN TO A COOK AND GARDENER

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on 5 February 1985, in Santo António, a neighbourhood of Funchal, Madeira, the youngest child of Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro, a cook, and José Dinis Aveiro, a municipal gardener, who sadly died from an alcohol-related liver disease when his son was only 20.

His second name (Ronaldo) was chosen after then U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who was his father’s favourite actor.

He has one older brother, Hugo, and two older sisters, Elma and Liliana Cátia. His great-grandmother, Isabel da Piedade, was a native of Cape Verde.

When he was just eight years old, Ronaldo played for the amateur team CF Andorinha where his father was engaged as the club’s kit man.

In 1995, at the age of ten, he signed for his local junior club, Nacional and after doing well for two seasons, during which time he helped his club win their respective League title while scoring over 40 goals, eight in one match! 

By Tony Matthews, author of more than 100 football books published