"If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period," FIFA said in a statement, then the remaining two games will be activated. FIFA cited its disciplinary rules that allow for parts of a sanction to be probationary, though it is rare in cases of a three-game ban for two of them to be deferred. Hanke was still picked for the squad even though he was suspended, and made one 19-minute appearance – ironically in another third-place play-off – as Germany beat Portugal. A year earlier, Hanke had been sent off for serious foul play against Mexico in the third-place play-off at the Confederations Cup.
The following summer, the district attorney for Clark County, Nevada, announced that he had reviewed the case and wouldn’t pursue criminal charges against Ronaldo. In June 2017, the couple welcomed twins, a boy named Mateo and a girl named Eva Maria, via a surrogate. The pair were first seen together publicly around November 2016 and became an official couple the following year.
AGENDA
Madrid finished in second place in La Liga and exited at the semi-final stage in the Champions League. His strong start to the season was interrupted when he suffered an ankle injury in October while on international duty, which kept him sidelined for seven weeks. Ronaldo made his La Liga debut against Deportivo La Coruña on 29 August, scoring a penalty in a 3–2 home win. At least 80,000 fans attended his presentation at the Santiago Bernabéu, surpassing the 25-year record of 75,000 fans who had welcomed Diego Maradona at Napoli. United advanced to the final in Rome, where he made little impact in United's 2–0 defeat to Barcelona.
Have any players not been so fortunate?
- On 15 May 2004, in a victory against Aston Villa, Ronaldo scored the opening goal and later received the first red card of his career.
- Towards the end of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, Netherlands midfielder Phillip Cocu was sent off for an alleged retaliatory elbow on an Albania player.
- On 8 June 2025, Ronaldo won his second Nations League title, helping Portugal defeat Spain in the final, scoring eight goals in nine games in the tournament.
- With Juventus’s victory in the 2021 Coppa Italia Final on 19 May, Ronaldo became the first player in history to win every major domestic trophy in England, Spain and Italy.
- On his home soil, after moving through the youth and under-21 ranks, Ronaldo had made his first appearance for Portugal’s full national team against Kazakhstan in August 2003 (four days after his debut for United).
- Ronaldo received the highest football salary ever, at €200 million per year, including a guaranteed football salary of €90 million, with commercial and sponsorship deals bringing his total annual salary to €200 million.
- Japan’s Makoto Hasebe was sent off for an elbow at the end of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, and like Cocu was given two matches.
A versatile attacker, Ronaldo is capable of playing on either wing as well as through the centre of the pitch, and, while ostensibly right-footed, is very strong with both feet. With his start in Portugal's UEFA Euro 2024 opener against the Czech Republic, Ronaldo became the first player to feature in six European Championships, having previously been the first player to appear in five. In the 2022 World Cup, on 24 November, Ronaldo became the first player to score at five World Cups, netting a penalty against Ghana. With the win, Portugal qualified and made its only appearance in the FIFA Confederations Cup held in Russia, where they finished in third place, with Ronaldo being named man of the match in all three of Portugal's group stage matches. He received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer, which gave him his fourth Ballon d'Or later that year. At the tournament in Brazil, Ronaldo assisted a last-minute 2–2 equaliser against the United States, and scored an 80th-minute winner in a 2–1 win over Ghana.
2018: All-time Madrid top scorer and fifth Ballon d'Or
Two years later, in UEFA Euro 2012, Ronaldo was joint top scorer with three goals, enough for him to be included in the team of the tournament. In the 2006 FIFA World Cup, at the age of 21 years and 132 days, Ronaldo became the youngest ever goalscorer for Portugal at a World Cup finals. Struggles ensued, with a fractured relationship with his teammates and interim manager, continuing for two months, until he scored in United's 2–0 win at home versus Brighton & Hove Albion on 15 February 2022, his first in the new year. Ronaldo proved to be crucial in the next Champions League fixtures, scoring various last minute goals to help United qualify for the round of 16 as group winners. On 11 September, Ronaldo made his second debut at Old Trafford, scoring the opening two goals in a 4–1 league victory against Newcastle United.
International
In the final of the Arab Club Champions Cup on 12 August, Ronaldo scored both goals as they defeated rivals Al-Hilal 2–1 after extra time. He made his debut for Al-Nassr on 22 January 2023, as club captain, playing the full 90 minutes of a 1–0 win over Al-Ettifaq, and scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw against Al-Fateh by converting a last-minute penalty. He finished the season with 24 goals in all competitions being named in the Premier League Team of the Year and the winner of United's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, but United finished in a disappointing sixth place and qualified for the UEFA Europa League; as a result, Ronaldo went trophyless for the first time since 2010.
- He holds the records for most goals (140) and assists (42) in the Champions League, goals (14) and assists (8) in the European Championship, and most international appearances (226) and international goals (143).
- In the final of the Arab Club Champions Cup on 12 August, Ronaldo scored both goals as they defeated rivals Al-Hilal 2–1 after extra time.
- Ronaldo finished the 2024–25 season with 25 league goals, becoming the league’s top scorer for a second consecutive time.
- This unique role has been described by pundits as that of a “false”, “attacking”, or “goalscoring winger”, as Ronaldo effectively almost functioned as a striker at times with his central runs into the penalty area, despite actually playing on the left flank.
- United reached the final against Chelsea in Moscow on 21 May, where, despite his opening goal being negated by an equaliser and his penalty kick being saved in the shoot-out, United emerged victorious, winning 6–5 on penalties after a 1–1 draw at the end of 120 minutes.
He is the fourth and youngest child of Maria Dolores dos Santos Viveiros Aveiro, who worked as a cook in the hospitality industry and a cleaning woman, and José Dinis Aveiro, a municipal gardener at the Junta de Freguesia of Santo António and part-time kit man for football club Andorinha. In recognition of his record-breaking goalscoring success, he received special awards for Outstanding Career Achievement by FIFA in 2021 and Champions League All-Time Top Scorer by UEFA in 2024. He holds the records for most goals (140) and assists (42) in the Champions League, goals (14) and assists (8) in the European Championship, and most international appearances (226) and international goals (143).
FIFA issued a three month ban and one year of probation as a result, though it did not result in him being suspended from playing in the World Cup. Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing defender Dara O'Shea in the back during Portugal's 2–0 loss to Ireland in the World Cup qualifiers in Dublin on 14 November. On 16 October, Portugal secured first place in their qualifying group, following a 5–0 away victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Ronaldo scoring twice. Ronaldo led Portugal to victory in the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019, receiving the top scorer award in the finals, and received the Golden Boot as top scorer of Euro 2020. In 2016, Ronaldo led Portugal to their first-ever trophy at the UEFA Euro 2016, although he was subbed off in the 25th minute in the final against hosts France.
There has not been a World Cup reprieve quite the same as Ronaldo's, where a three-match ban has remained in place but partially suspended. France's Laurent Koscielny was expected to miss the opening two group games at the 2014 World Cup When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience.
The following match, Ronaldo scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Morocco, breaking Puskás' record as the highest European goalscorer of all time, with 85 international goals. On 31 May, in a 5–4 penalty shoot-out defeat to Al-Hilal in the 2024 King Cup final following a 1–1 draw after extra time (in which he scored his side's second spot kick), he equalled Rogério Ceni's record for most top-level matches by betwarts casino login a male professional footballer (1,225). On 9 February, Ronaldo scored all four goals in a 4–0 win over Al-Wehda, his first goal of the match being his 500th career league goal.
