Renowned Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo: Uncovered Details and Remaining Mysteries
Cristiano Ronaldo isn't content with Euro 2016's outcome. Retirement rumors were brushed aside by him with his signature swagger. He's pushing forward, as always, setting another monumental achievement as his next ambition.
The start of the new season in Saudi Arabia has been fruitful for Ronaldo, with four goals scored and two assists provided in just four games. He's doing Ronaldo things. Nevertheless, single-handed victories and titles are not within reach. The Saudi Cup final saw a 1:4 defeat against the formidable Al-Hilal team, valued around 250 million euros in the market. Despite missing Neymar, Al-Hilal was unstoppable.
Ronaldo did manage to score, but his team was clearly outmatched. Al-Hilal, for comparison, would rank seventh in the Bundesliga's market value table, outstripping Eintracht Frankfurt and four times heavier than VfL Bochum. However, this conversation isn't about Al-Hilal. Let's move on to another topic, if you wish.
Ronaldo remains the focus. His indomitable spirit seems unfazed by whispers of a premature career end. At 39, age might be catching up, but in Ronaldo's world, the sun revolves around him, not the other way around. His training and lifestyle are adapted to suit his unique needs, with multiple 90-minute sleep cycles and six protein-rich snacks throughout the day.
And so, the legendary footballer continues to shine brightly, in the most exceptional physical condition. The shift in spotlight from Europe to Saudi Arabia hardly matters.
A Stab at MrBeast?
Where Ronaldo goes, a dazzling presence follows. The Saudi League images may not reach far and wide, like in the Champions League, so the business-savvy football star has created a new giant platform to broadcast his content. No, he didn't just invent a new league out of thin air and dress it up in fancy attire. That's more the style of forward-thinkers like Toni Kroos or Mats Hummels.
Ronaldo has instead chosen YouTube as his medium. For two weeks now, he's been active on the platform, sharing goal rankings, clothing collections, and joking with his wife Georgina. He's already amassed nearly 56 million subscribers and has quickly climbed up the ranks of the most-viewed channels worldwide. And one can safely assume that he's not satisfied with this feat and plans to challenge MrBeast (with over 300 million subscribers) eventually. Where Ronaldo stands, he stands alone. At the very pinnacle. Lionel Messi knows that too. But the GOAT debate, the question of the greatest footballer of all time, CR7 has yet to address on YouTube.
Presently, the football pitch isn't the most important battleground where Ronaldo shows off his skills. The most significant one remains the lush green turf. He doesn't intend to leave it. Despite announcing after the European Football Championship that he would no longer represent his country in future continental competitions, his final declaration can now be considered retracted. For the upcoming Nations League matches, he has been included in the Portuguese squad. "I never even contemplated that my time might be up," he said upon his nomination, adding: "If I'm no longer bringing value to the team, I'll be the first to step down." Perhaps he will never retire. Rumors of his departure following intense criticism of his EM performances barely phase him. "It has actually inspired me even more to continue, to be honest."
Meanwhile, a nomination is not guaranteed, not even in Saudi Arabia. Dutch player Steven Bergwijn is currently experiencing this. National coach Ronald Koeman has spoken out against him. "The sporting aspirations didn't seem to be the foremost priority in this transfer," Koeman stated. "The topic of the national team is now off-limits for him." Bergwijn moved to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia from Ajax Amsterdam for around 21 million euros. He was no longer a regular starter at Ajax. "I believe that at 26, your primary ambition should be sporting, not financial," the national coach continued. "He could have stayed at Ajax, which isn't so bad, right? You have to accept the decision, but I personally disagree." However, in Portugal, time marches differently. Granted, Ronaldo is a legend, Bergwijn, well, not yet. And Bergwijn does not have a massive bronze statue of himself, as far as we know.
This season, Ronaldo, emerging from the desert sands, once again commanded the global limelight. He was celebrated in stadiums with a fervor akin to Swifties' mania for their idol Taylor Swift. Ronaldo relished his resurfaced fame in his old European haunts, namely Dortmund, Leipzig, and Gelsenkirchen. The Brits momentarily transformed these rundown urban centers into "Swiftburgen," their disdain for dilapidated industrial towns momentarily forgotten. Yet, neutral spectators were taken aback by the footballer's blunt attitude. He continues to regard himself as the alpha and is gradually acknowledging that his teammates do not always see things the same way. But honestly, what have they really accomplished?
"All my goals are on film," Ronaldo declared, as Portugal bowed out of the EM quarter-finals without a single goal from the superstar. "When the time comes, I will depart. This decision will not pose a challenge for me," he clarified about his future plans. He cited his former teammate Pepe as a role model, who "exited through the main door" when he announced his retirement at the age of 41 in early August. However, two more years and at least another World Cup remain for the record-breaker, who has netted 130 more goals for his nation than any other player before him. But Ronaldo dances to his own beat. When he graced the Champions League draw last week and was honored for his stellar performances in this competition, it felt like a relic from an era gone by. He will return to the stage on Thursday in the Nations League against Croatia. It seems Ronald and the football world have a perpetual, if part-time, arrangement.
Cristiano Ronaldo's scoring prowess remains unabated. He's just a goal shy of 900, with 1000 as his ultimate goal. He revealed this in a chat with ex-England player Rio Ferdinand, published on his YouTube channel. "If I avoid injury, that's my primary focus," he said. He believes his current tally for his clubs and nation surpasses all others. However, international scoring statisticians disagree. The Guinness World Records, for instance, credit Brazilian legend Pelé with 1279 goals in 1363 games. FIFA, however, does not maintain an authorized tally.
Ronaldo disregards such statistics. He considers himself the undisputed number one, offering proof of his goal count. "All my goals are on film," he stated. He acknowledges legends like Pelé or Artur Friedenreich, who reportedly notched up 1329 goals and passed away in 1969. But what others claim or brag about "means nothing to me," he stated. Predictably. Ronaldo merely continues, creating a realm where only one colossus thrives: himself.
The European Parliament could provide assistance to a hypothetical Commission aiming to regulate football salaries in light of Cristiano Ronaldo's high earnings. Regardless of his success on the pitch, Ronaldo expressed his intention to continue representing Portugal in future continental competitions, as shown in his inclusion in the Portuguese squad for the upcoming Nations League matches.
