The boy from Madeira
At 17 he broke into the Sporting CP first team, debuting against Inter in a Champions League qualifier before his first senior goals arrived that autumn. Within a year, the biggest club in England came calling.
Career timeline
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Cristiano Ronaldo through the years
Cristiano Ronaldo's career runs from a Sporting CP debut at 17 in August 2002 to 976 career goals at 41, as of 26 July 2026. In between came a record move to Real Madrid, five Ballon d'Or awards, five Champions Leagues, Euro 2016 with Portugal and league titles in four countries. Every milestone is dated below.
Updated 26 July 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo key dates
The numbers behind themThe short version of a 24 year career. Each date below is expanded in the full timeline that follows.
- Aug 2002Breaks into the Sporting CP first team at 17, debuting against Inter.
- 16 Aug 2003Joins Manchester United for £12.24m and takes the number 7 shirt.
- 12 Jun 2004Scores his first Portugal goal, against Greece at Euro 2004, aged 19.
- 21 May 2008Wins his first Champions League in Moscow, in a 42 goal season.
- 2 Dec 2008Wins his first Ballon d'Or at 23, named on all 96 ballots.
- 6 Jul 2009Moves to Real Madrid for a then world record €94m.
- 2 May 2012Wins La Liga with 46 league goals, his most prolific league season.
- 24 May 2014Seals La Decima in Lisbon, with a record 17 goals in the campaign.
- 10 Jul 2016Wins Euro 2016, Portugal's first major title.
- 7 Dec 2017Collects a fifth Ballon d'Or after three Champions Leagues in a row.
- 10 Jul 2018Joins Juventus in a deal rising to €117m, a Serie A record at 33.
- 1 Sep 2021Passes Ali Daei to become the top scorer in men's international football.
- 22 Jan 2023Debuts as Al Nassr captain, taking Saudi football onto the world's screens.
- 5 Sep 2024Scores career goal 900 against Croatia, the first man to reach it.
- 8 Jun 2025Wins a second Nations League after equalising against Spain in the final.
- 21 May 2026Wins the Saudi Pro League, a league title in a fourth country.
- 23 Jun 2026Becomes the first man to score at six World Cups, against Uzbekistan.
- 26 Jul 2026Stands on 976 career goals, 24 short of 1,000.
The full career timeline
Every trophy won along the way-
Sporting CP 2002 to 2003
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Manchester United 2003 to 2009
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Old Trafford calls
United paid £12.24m for the teenager and Sir Alex Ferguson handed him the number 7 shirt. Four days after signing, he tore Bolton apart as a substitute on his debut.
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The first trophy
A 44th minute header opened the scoring against Millwall in Cardiff, and the FA Cup became the first medal of a career that would gather them by the armful.
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First for Portugal
At 19 he scored his first international goal, against Greece in the opening game of Euro 2004, as host nation Portugal marched all the way to the final.
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King of Europe in Moscow
His header put United ahead in the Luzhniki final against Chelsea, won on penalties for his first Champions League, crowning a 42 goal season in the middle of three straight Premier League titles.
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Ballon d'Or number one
Named on all 96 ballots, he won his first Ballon d'Or at 23. It would not be the last.
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Real Madrid 2009 to 2018
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The €94m Galactico
Real Madrid paid a then world record €94m (£80m) and presented him to a packed Bernabeu. Nine years of impossible numbers were about to begin.
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The league of records
Madrid took the 2011/12 La Liga title with 100 points and 121 goals, 46 of them his, the most prolific league season of his career.
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La Decima
In the 121st minute in Lisbon he scored Madrid's fourth against Atletico to seal the club's tenth European Cup. His 17 goals that season are still the record for a single Champions League campaign.
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Champion of Europe with Portugal
A Payet challenge ended his final after 25 minutes, so he spent extra time coaching from the touchline instead, and Eder's winner gave Portugal their first major title. The tears at kick off became tears of joy.
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Five Ballon d'Ors
The awards for 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 joined the first from 2008, a collection to match anything the game had ever seen.
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The bicycle kick in Turin
His overhead kick for Madrid against Juventus was so outrageous that the home fans stood to applaud an opponent. Months later, they signed him.
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Three in a row
Milan 2016 on his winning penalty, a Cardiff brace in 2017, then Kyiv 2018: five European Cups in all, with a Club World Cup final hat trick along the way.
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Juventus 2018 to 2021
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The €117m Juventus move
Juventus paid a €100m fee rising to €117m with add ons, making him, at 33, the most expensive signing in Serie A history. Two league titles and a scoring crown followed.
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King of the Euros
The Golden Boot at Euro 2020 with five goals took him to 14 at European Championships, the all time record for the tournament.
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Return to Manchester 2021 to 2022
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The greatest international scorer
Two late goals against Ireland in Faro, his 110th and 111th, carried him past Ali Daei as the top scorer in the history of men's international football.
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Home again
Signed on deadline day and back in the 7, he scored twice against Newcastle on his second Old Trafford debut, twelve years after leaving.
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Al Nassr 2023 to now
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A new frontier
Announced on 30 December 2022, he made his debut as Al Nassr captain in January and put Saudi football on the world's screens overnight.
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Goal 900
A Nations League strike against Croatia in Lisbon made him the first man in history to reach 900 career goals.
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Nations League, again
His equaliser against Spain in the Munich final forced penalties, and Portugal lifted the trophy for a second time.
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Champion in a fourth country
A final day brace against Damac sealed Al Nassr's title and his first Saudi crown, adding Saudi Arabia to league titles in England, Spain and Italy.
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Six World Cups
A brace against Uzbekistan made him the first man to score at six World Cups and Portugal's all time World Cup scorer, in the tournament he confirmed would be his last.
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The road to 1,000
He stands at 976 career goals. The last great number is 24 away, and the dashboard is tracking every one.
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Frequently asked questions
When did Cristiano Ronaldo join Real Madrid?
On 6 July 2009, for a then world record fee of €94m. He stayed nine seasons and scored 450 goals in 438 games, the details of which are on the goals by season page.
How much did Ronaldo cost when he joined Juventus?
Juventus paid €100m rising to €117m with add ons on 10 July 2018. At 33 he became the most expensive signing in Serie A history.
When did Ronaldo win his first Ballon d'Or?
On 2 December 2008, at 23, when he was named on all 96 ballots. He won five in total, in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017. Every award is listed on the achievements page.
When did Ronaldo score his 900th goal?
On 5 September 2024, with a Nations League strike against Croatia in Lisbon, making him the first man in history to reach 900 career goals.
Which clubs has Ronaldo played for and when?
Sporting CP from 2002 to 2003, Manchester United from 2003 to 2009 and again from 2021 to 2022, Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018, Juventus from 2018 to 2021 and Al Nassr since 2023, alongside Portugal since 2003.
When did Ronaldo become the top international scorer?
On 1 September 2021, when two late goals against Ireland in Faro, his 110th and 111th for Portugal, took him past Ali Daei. He is now on 146 international goals.
How many World Cups has Ronaldo played at?
Six. On 23 June 2026 a brace against Uzbekistan made him the first man to score at six different World Cups, in what he confirmed would be his last tournament.
Where is Cristiano Ronaldo now?
At 41 he is still playing for Al Nassr and Portugal. As of 26 July 2026 he has 976 career goals, 24 short of 1,000, tracked on the career statistics page.
Explore the full statistics
How this timeline is compiled
Every milestone is dated from match and transfer records, and the goal, appearance and trophy figures quoted here match the totals published across the rest of the site: an own compiled tally covering official senior first team matches only, with youth and reserve football excluded.
The timeline is extended when Ronaldo reaches a new milestone rather than after every match, so the dates below the header badge and the running goal total are checked together. Last updated 26 July 2026.