Cristiano Ronaldo: The World At His Feet | Full Football Documentary | Documentary Central

It's called the beautiful game for a reason. A distinction accurately painted by the game's legendary artist, Pele. Football, or soccer as it's known in the US, is the number one sport in 93 countries. Most important is to do for the foreigners, for the people who want to be there, nice show and receive well the people there. And one can link its worldwide popularity to its simplicity. No financial obstacles, because all you need is a football. I think it's the only game in the world that brings every single country together. Yes, it's one language, it's football. But what sport does is it brings everyone together, it gets everyone talking. From back alleys and side streets to muddy fields and scorched sand, it can be played anywhere, by anyone, boys and girls, rich and poor. It's inviting to all walks of life. Football now is a sport which is taken very seriously. For 3,000 years, this has been the world's game. And for many centuries, every legend started from the same point. From Beckham to Pele and Sir Bobby Charlton, their journey began the same manner as everyone else. For 3,000 years, this has been the world's game. And for many centuries, every legend started from the same point. Cristiano Ronaldo, star player for Real Madrid and Portugal, was moulded from the same humble beginnings. On the 5th of February, 1985, a baby boy was born to Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro and José Diniz Aveiro. They were simple people, making their way through life as a cook and a gardener in Santo Antonio, Funchal. This small town is located on the island of Madeira, Portugal, overlooking the ocean. Santo Antonio means Saint Anthony, and on that day, a saint was indeed delivered into the world of football. Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro. Named after his father's favourite actor, US President Ronald Reagan, Ronaldo's early life hardly resembled a Hollywood movie. His rag-to-riches story begins with a childhood rooted in severe poverty. His Catholic family, like many others in the town, struggled to survive. Food and shelter were considered luxuries, and at Christmas time, there was rarely any sign of Santa Claus. Their house was a tin-roofed shack which would often leak due to the warm and powerful thunderstorms that graced the Portugal coast each summer. A lot of guys do come out from poverty, hard upbringings, and that's their motivation. A lot of that is the motivation that keeps them pushing. Cristiano was the youngest child, having an elder brother, Hugo, and two elder sisters, Elma and Liliana Catia. Quarters were tight, as Ronaldo, his brother and two sisters shared one room. The dirt floor was their bed. Crumpled clothing served as a pillow. In addition to the financial hardships of this family, he also found it hard to make friends his own age. He was a lonely boy, and his only companion became a tattered football he found in an alleyway. He would take the ball to a nearby wall, and there, between the cement and stone, he'd practice. He'd spend every waking hour with his friend, skipping meals and sometimes school. What inspired you to take up soccer? What inspired you to start playing? Well, that one is a tough question and a good question. I don't know. It's what made me more attention, maybe because of my… Ronaldo's childhood mirrored that of another football great, Edison Arantes Donacimento. You probably know him simply as Pele. Before becoming a three-time champion at the World Cup and scoring over 1,300 goals, Pele's career started with an old sock stuffed with rags. His father, a minor league footballer, taught Pele, and with his unmatched dedication, he flourished. Pele would become the youngest player ever to win the World Cup at just 17 years old, scoring six goals for Brazil. And for Ronaldo, much like Pele, if it wasn't about football, it was a nuisance. Football was his life. He moulded his skills, playing against everyone and anyone, young and old. Without application, your talent doesn't mean anything. You've got to have the two. Application without talent is difficult, but you can still maybe get by. Talent without application, you've got no chance. At the age of eight, Ronaldo joined amateur local team Andorina. At that age, this young child was a far cry from the muscled athlete that commands the pitch today. And even though he was skinnier and less developed than his competition, Ronaldo's talents were recognised immediately. Ronaldo, he started off at a really young age, like we all do when we're starting football. And when you get to an age of 10, 11, 12 years old, you'll then start finding that these clubs will be, and professional clubs will be looking at you to see whether they can actually move you forward. Ronaldo's skills were creating a great deal of buzz. Smaller football clubs in Spain, Portugal and England are always on the lookout for their next star. And the competition is tough. Having the ability to occasionally strike the ball into the goal is not enough to get you noticed. The first thing we look for in any player is what natural ability he's got. It's not what we can coach him, it's what has he got that he shows us, what does he bring to us. And then after that, does he have a love for the game? Does he love training? Does he love coaching? Has he got a passion for the game? And is he full of enthusiasm? But first and foremost is his own natural ability. However, this was not a problem for the young Ronaldo. At just 12 years of age, he moved 600 miles from his poor small town to the city of Lisbon, where he had an offer from sporting. He had the opportunity then to move to a sizeable, very big club in Portugal, which then allowed him, with his family, to progress and push him forward. That's where you need the support to actually move forward with your career. Though he continued to turn heads, the transition was not easy for Cristiano. It's hard now to imagine this player ever had a problem with popularity. But way before the fancy cars, expensive clothes and supermodel girlfriends, Ronaldo was alone. Miles from home, in a strange city, school was a struggle and his only redemption came on the pitch. Constantly bullied by classmates for his Madarine accent and forced to be alone, he lost faith in his education and teachers. It reached a boiling point at 14 when Ronaldo threw a chair at an instructor. He was expelled. This was not an issue in his mother's eyes. As his biggest ally, Ronaldo's mother rallied around her youngest son. She supported his aspiring football career with gusto and, with his family's backing, Ronaldo continued his meteoric rise into the upper echelons of the beautiful game. That's what it's all about, it's dedication. Keep working and you haven't got to be too old or too young, just keep working at your physique. We've constantly got to be trying to bring players into the first team squad. So the pressure's there every year to sort of make sure that the quality's good enough. But the next year, Ronaldo was dealt another difficult card. He was diagnosed with a racing heart condition. Surgical ablation, which is relatively new from a minimally invasive standpoint, involves also making burn lesions on the outside of the heart and also getting rid of that left atrial appendage, which is a little portion of the heart where the clot forms, that then often can fire off to the body. Thankfully for us, his mother opted to let Ronaldo have the operation and the rest, as they say, is history. Better than new, the stars aligned for the young phenomenon on August 12, 2003. Seventeen years old and already a prime target among football scouts, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sporting faced off against football giant Manchester United. Old Trafford's a far cry from the dirt pitches of Madeira, Portugal and the Red Devils of football icons. Undaunted in front of the legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson and giving the performance of a lifetime, Sporting won 3-1. And Ronaldo was the only thing that anyone could talk about. Manchester United was, for me, I think that was his stepping stone to move his career much more forward and saw something there in a player that really could progress and become something big. And of course, we all know it today, that's what was the case. Ironically, it wasn't the assistant coaches who had the idea to sign Ronaldo to Manchester United, it was the players. On the way home from the match, a few of his would-be teammates convinced Ferguson that Ronaldo should be on their side. But other clubs had taken notice of the teenage phenomenon. Ronaldo's path to Manchester United was almost derailed by Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger. In fact, Ronaldo was so close to signing with the Gunners, Wenger gave Ronaldo his own number nine jersey. But Ferguson was able to snatch the Portuguese star. Remember, he came here as a 17-year-old lad and really developed himself. He is a great footballer. So I think we are proud of that. Never one to mince his words, Ferguson was a visionary who led one of the world's best football clubs for over two decades. He brought home 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles. Training session, intensity, expectation, the level of concentration will always manifest itself on a Saturday. He's had an amazing career. One that many managers look at and want to achieve what he's achieved. I owe him a lot as a manager for the way he brought me into Manchester United and then he groomed me into a player that went on to win 19 trophies. Upon his arrival, it was requested that Ronaldo wear a special jersey. Cristiano Ronaldo would don the heavily weighted number seven. And, as time would tell, he would immortalise it. So you're looking for a father figure to look after you and take you under your wings. And you, as a player, would need to trust that particular person. And that's obviously what happened. And when you've got a manager like Sir Alex Ferguson and the backroom staff and the players, of course, help him to settle, that will allow him then to freely play his football. Ronaldo signed with United for a transfer fee of an extraordinary 15 million euros. You've got a manager that had been there for 20 odd years, that had won pretty much, well, everything in the game. Unbelievable success record. I think it's just the way I play. Ever since I was a youngster in Madeira, I've always been a player that enjoyed taking someone on one-on-one. It's in my nature. And I've always done this. Speed with the ball, either foot, manipulating it, making decisions in and outside the full-back, playing and then moving another position, and done it at speed. And everything was done at great speed. And I think that was the thing that made me set up. Ronaldo wasn't the first young football star to join Manchester and wear the number seven. David Beckham began his career with the Red Devils at the age of just 17. Beckham was to quickly fulfil his potential as one of the world's best, winning six league titles and two FA Cups at the hallowed grounds of Old Trafford. He always had a lovely smile. He always presents himself well. But as a young kid, when I got my 12 years of age, his great desire was to be the best footballer. He was a fantastic trainer, practised all the time. In the night time, he'd come back with the schoolboys and practise with them. Much like Ronaldo, Beckham has played the role of hero and villain. In a 1998 World Cup second-round match against Argentina, Beckham, after being fouled, kicked midfielder Diego Simeone in the calf. Beckham was given a red card, and England was eliminated. Beckham was blamed for the defeat, and he and his family received death threats. He was demonised in the media. Crazed fans hung and burned an effigy of him outside a pub. You'd much rather have your own fans. You do expect a little stick from opposition fans, but you'd much rather have your own fans with you than against you. And fans help much more when you're having a bad time. It's easy to cheer your team when you're doing well, but when you're having a bit of a rough time, you need your fans to get through it. If Beckham's the link, if you like, with these players and the countries, then there's a good chance that he may come over Ronaldo to participate in the US League, the MLS. And if he does, I certainly think that that would be a huge coup for the US. I'm excited about bringing the team and being part of the MLS and continuing to be a part of the MLS. Cristiano Ronaldo's United career proved to be successful from the get-go. In his first season, Ronaldo scored the opening goal in United's 3-0 FA Cup final victory over Millwall. The first ever Portuguese footballer to play for Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo had not only arrived, but also became Player of the Year. Ronaldo is heralded as a master striker. He plays an attacking role better than anyone, often referred to as the Sultan of the Stepover, showing unmatched skill with both feet, and the ability to beat players one-on-one unparalleled in the rest of the game. The whole game of the football has changed, completely changed. You've got all these different dietitian-y type of food that you have to eat now, and they monitor your heart rate, your pulse rate, everything. His height, strength and vertical leap give him an edge in aerial challenges, and the majority of his goals are in fact headers. I think he's been a fantastic advert for the game. His scoring record ratio to games played is second to none. Ronaldo, tremendous player. One of the best players in the world, if not the best goal scorer in the world. And when he scores goals, left foot, right foot, he can head a ball, he can take people on, he stepovers. At the height of his success at Manchester United in 2005, Ronaldo was dealt a significant blow. His father passed away. Jose died due to a chronic liver condition brought on by years of struggling against alcoholism. He was only 52 years old. Ronaldo, only 20 at the time, was hit hard by the loss. But as at every moment of hardship in his life, Ronaldo's mother Maria was there for him. She's been an unwavering pillar of support and love in his life, and he said often that he would not be where he is today without his mother. Ronaldo still carries a lingering heartache for his father's passing, as he never got to share any of his success with his father. To this day, he never forgets how his dad was instrumental in getting him started in the sport. Many think him too much of a peacock, preening and flashy, concerned completely with his image. He doesn't make it easy, turning many viewers off with his arrogance and overconfidence. Where I think he's toned it down, I think by hanging out with models and other sports stars that are on the kind of salary that he's on, it has taught him a lot for how to look good but keep it minimum, which he's never done well. He loves the bling bling, he loves a solid tan, but I think he's learned a lot and he's matured a lot, and that's seen through his fashion and his clothing choices. The guy is a total professional. What he does in his own time is up to him. He is obviously... I think he gives quite a good image for a footballer. Other fans think he dives without the slightest contact and are annoyed that a player as well-built as Ronaldo would take to the turf so easily. Ronaldo's penchant for persuading referees was highlighted in the 2006 World Cup match against England. Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United team-mate, was whistled for stamping on a Portugal defender. Ronaldo immediately started to plead his case to the ref and Rooney shoved him. Rooney was given the red card and as he left the pitch, cameras caught Ronaldo winking at his team-mate. Portugal may have won the quarter-final match, but Ronaldo didn't win many fans in the process. Someone's probably going to break your legs in a nasty tackle. Could be Rooney, you never know. He's got to get you back for one, isn't he? Rumours of turmoil began to spread. The tension between Ronaldo and Rooney following the now infamous wink would be too much for Manchester United to overcome. Ronaldo was taking the brunt of the blame. CR7, as he was known, was becoming football's greatest villain. Soon reports surfaced that Ronaldo wanted to transfer and Real Madrid was his chosen team. He had to get there by going through Manchester United and the progression that he made through that club enabled him then to move forward into a Real Madrid team that today is huge and that's the club that he wanted to go to. His family, I think, wanted him to go to that club as well, his mother, and he was in a situation where he couldn't say no. Press told stories of a torn locker room and the team's chemistry in jeopardy. No-one could blame Ronaldo if he left. He could have blamed it on the fan reaction, the resentment. He had a built-in excuse and that the World Cup incident was too much to overcome. But Cristiano Ronaldo rarely takes the easy route. There are things in life that deserve no comment. This is one more of those that will receive no comment. On my part, for obvious reasons, I have always respected all my coaches everywhere I've been and I always keep the positive things. So I always try to learn something new from them, to talk about people that speak ill of me. Well, it's not something that I'm used to. People talk ill of me, especially in Portugal, but I don't spit into the plate that I eat from. Does he understand that? Is that correct? I just try to keep to the positive thing. If you watch the players, the first thing you want to do at the end of the game is go across to their own supporters and thank them. But on the other hand, you've got other clubs where if things aren't working out, then the fans can turn to you very quickly. And that's why he's got as far as he has done today by playing for Real Madrid, because of his arrogance, his professionalism. Ronaldo met manager Sir Alex Ferguson for dinner in Portugal to discuss the situation. Sir Alex is no stranger to handling football superstars and convinced the young striker to stay. A five-year extension was inked and Ronaldo became the highest-paid player in the team's history. They are more or less film stars, movie stars. The amount of money that's poured into the game now has risen their status massively. On the heels of his new five-year deal, Ronaldo carried the Red Devils to its second of what would be three straight English Premier League championships, as well as taking home the UEFA Champions League trophy. I just try to do my best all the time, season by season. I try to be a better player, a better person. I try to learn myself all the time. And I have the opportunity to score goals, and I score. One of the gems of Ferguson's legendary career was keeping Ronaldo in a united uniform for as long as he did. Ferguson was known for cultivating talent, as well as clashing with it. Tensions between Ferguson and David Beckham boiled over in 2003 when, following a loss to Arsenal in the FA Cup, Ferguson kicked a boot at David Beckham, resulting in the Englishman getting stitches above his eye. David did not have two stitches put in his eye. I did no stitches. So it was a graze, and he's dealt with by the doctor, no problem, and we move on. And similar to Beckham, Ronaldo eventually was granted his request to transfer to Real Madrid in 2009. The £80m transfer fee was a record at that time. I think we have a player in the top of his game. We have a player that left Portugal with an incredible talent, transformed that incredible talent in his time in Manchester, and now knowing a third coach, I think he achieved his maximum level. He's a fabulous player, and normally these kind of players, they can make a difference. That's until current team-mate Gareth Bale joined Madrid, transferring over from Tottenham in the Barclays Premier League. Our guys are doing amazing. He started a little bit, as I say, with some injuries, some small problems. It's normally because he didn't do the pre-season, and after what's happened with him, a lot of pressure, you know. It's hard, but I think now he's in a good way. He helped us a lot. He's integrated more in the team. The people like him, like the supporters and the players around him. I think it's a fantastic player, and I wish that he can help us to win trophies. Cristiano Ronaldo is, for me, the best player in the world. I think he's a massive factor. I wanted to come here as well. I think the team is full of world-class players, and there comes no better than him, and it will obviously be an honour. At first, everyone wondered if these two could play together in harmony. It's not difficult for him, but I understand if you speak with him, you can see that he's very excited to play, to help the team, to get better and better. But it's better to leave him alone. Don't make him pressure. Do pressure to another player. Leave him alone, because I'm sure 100% that he's going to do well for the club. He's going to help us a lot because he's a fantastic player. He's a fantastic boy, and he always wants to learn, and this is the most important. Now, after the first season, the combination of Ronaldo and Bale is proving to be deadly for any opposing team. Cristiano Ronaldo soon became a worldwide phenomenon. He's the most Google-searched athlete across the globe. Millions idolise him, and just as many hate him. He is the ultimate polarising figure in sport. I think that Ronaldo, coming from a very poor background, has indeed had an effect on his career and on his business decisions. I think that he has had to claw his way up and take every opportunity that's given to him, but equally so, too, have other people that have come from much better-off backgrounds. But I think he's been very clever in the way that he's used his, perhaps, skills that he learned at a young age to his advantage today. Although much of Ronaldo's skill was shaped and moulded with his fiery determination and will and pure hard work, one wonders if this otherworldly talent got an assist from destiny. Born on February 5th, 1985, under the Aquarian son and Leo Moon, the stars lit the path for Ronaldo, equipping him with the relentless passion to be great. Aquarians are brilliant communicators that work well with the media, so they're an absolute gift to any corporate organisation trying to push their wares. And Ronaldo has made many endorsements for most products you can think of. Those born with an Aquarian son can be enchanting and often unhinged. The placement of Mars could tell us that little Cristiano Ronaldo would become a man of action, a self-sufficient born leader. It seems even the cosmos had made it their goal to see Ronaldo armed with all the traits of a superior athletic force. Ronaldo is a really typical Aquarian. He just loves the limelight and Ronaldo will always want to succeed. He'll always want to be number one, the best. And if money comes with it, well, money comes with it. Aquarians can take it or leave it with money, but when money really comes to an Aquarian, it either comes big time or nothing at all. In Ronaldo's case, he's made plenty in his life. But he's not the only one in his family to gain fame. Ronaldo's older sister, Katia Aveiro, is a singer and signed a record deal in 2013. Naturally, Ronaldo has always been her biggest fan, as she used to sing around the house when they were younger. No matter where her career takes her, Katia knows her younger brother will always be there to support her dreams. As Ronaldo's legions of fans grew, so did his critics. Ronaldo instantly had a target on his back. Tabloid magazines and websites housed him. No words to describe Cristiano Ronaldo. Skimpy. Love Skimpy. Speedoast. I don't get it. I suppose if you look that good, you can show it off, but he shows it off a lot. Any celebrity knows that as fame rises, privacy often falls. Paparazzi are an issue for any star, but for a global icon like Ronaldo, it can be impossible to find a moment's peace. His home is stalked by cameramen and videographers, often provoking him with personal questions. How's your baby? And Ronaldo has clashed with a paparazzo on more than one occasion. It's hard to blame him, considering how much they hawk his every single move. I think the difference with the Beckhams is that they're a partnership. There's one of Ronaldo, there's two Beckhams. They weren't the people that arrived on the scene many years ago. Ronaldo, I think, is equally making that effort, but he comes from a very different culture, a very, very different way of life. However, his salary does allow the striker to outrun the paps. The footballer has some of the fastest and most expensive cars on the planet. Whether he's whipping by in his Bugatti Veyron or cruising in his Rolls-Royce Phantom, he's spent nearly $5 million on his treasured car collection. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the highest-paid sportsmen in the world, so you can imagine he's going to have one of the best collections in the world. I mean, you can start off, he's got Bugatti Veyron, he's got plenty of Lamborghinis, McLarens, Ferraris, Bentleys. Pretty much anything you can imagine Cristiano Ronaldo will have. The lifestyle is fantastic. There is money, there are cars, there are houses, media exposure. It's very difficult to live a life in the limelight, and that's why I think you see a lot of the younger stars sort of failing as it would be in many aspects of life by the time they're mid-20s. He likes to be seen, he's got a lot of convertibles, so he'll pop the roof and he wants people to see him driving his car, and that's part of his character. But he doesn't only fill his own garage. Ronaldo promised the five-person training staff of Real Madrid that if he won the FIFA Ballon d'Or, he would buy each of them a new car of their choice. In 2013, Ronaldo went home with the award, and true to his word, his training staff was driving home in their brand-new cars soon after. I cannot expect a better night than this one, even in my dreams. I have to be proud of my work, what I did during the year, and this is going to give me motivation to work more and dedicate myself more for the future, and I hope to be here next year to try to win the third one. Throughout his career, Ronaldo made headlines on and off the pitch. Recently, he announced that there is a junior Ronaldo. The identity of the mother has never been released. The boy, named Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., attends every match with his grandmother. Ronaldo says he plans to raise him with religious values and won't spoil him, even though he's being raised in immense wealth. Ronaldo prides himself on being a loving and caring dad. Ronaldo, despite his gargantuan wealth and success, is always mindful of where he came from and the hardships he had to endure to achieve his dreams. The asphalt alley and stone well are never far from his thoughts. If you're looking for Ronaldo on his day off, you probably won't find him in a local bar. Odds are he could be at a youth practice in his native Portugal. Hello, hello. We pass, pass, pass, pass, and we didn't shoot. One opportunity, shoot to the net. I think they play all in the same place. They have to make the space huge. Try to be fast. Try to, you know, to faith in and to try to change acceleration. Just try to have the ball in good control. Cristiano Ronaldo has been criticised for his extravagant spending and lifestyle. But without question, his heart, support and generosity have saved many lives and given hope to those that most need it. In December of 2004, Ronaldo's number seven was a symbol of hope. An earthquake off the coast of Indonesia caused one of the most catastrophic tsunamis in recorded history. A six-year-old Akanese boy named Maltunis was swept out to sea by the massive wave. Maltunis was carried into a mangrove swamp. All he had to survive on was rainwater in puddles and packets of dried noodles that had washed up in the wave. He was alone like this for 19 days before he was rescued and reunited with his father and grandfather. News agencies broadcasted images of Maltunis wearing a tattered, blood-stained red football jersey with the number seven. The image of Maltunis in that shirt went viral, as did his story. The young boy lost his mother and sister in the tsunami. Touched and heartbroken, Ronaldo visited Maltunis in Indonesia. He paid for the boy's education and made large donations to rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts for the community. Ronaldo also raised funds for an improved mangrove forest station, a key element in helping to save Maltunis' life during the aftermath of this heart-wrenching event. Ronaldo's critics perhaps ignore the star's many philanthropic efforts. When Ronaldo found out his biggest fan had life-threatening cancer, his world stopped spinning. His mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and fought through a series of debilitating radiation treatments to regain her health. Having seen her suffer, Cristiano generously donated £100,000 to the hospital that saved his mum's life. He continues to support charities related to cancer and helped build a specialist centre at Hospital Central in his native Madeira. This past year, Ronaldo received a letter from the family of ten-year-old Eric Cruz-Ortiz. The little Real Madrid fan had a brain abnormality that required surgery and the parents were hoping Ronaldo would donate a jersey and some shoes that they could auction off to save money. Ronaldo went a few steps further. He paid the £60,000 for the operation. Massive inspiration to... If you go back home to Portugal, the whole of the country love him. People don't know about the philanthropic work that he does. A lot of his money goes back into his home country. He's massively involved in the slums in Portugal. He's been doing lots and lots of work there that people don't know about. Despite all his fame and wealth, no-one can say that Ronaldo is not a man of the people. During Real Madrid's 3-1 victory over Chelsea at the UEFA Champions League friendly in Miami, a fan raced onto the pitch to give Ronaldo a hug. I remember holding him, saying, thank you, thank you, thank you for this, thank you for all you've done for me. I would have been where I am right now if I hadn't followed you as a role model. I said, always followed you since 2005, 2006, before you were even famous in Madrid. And I wish I had the jersey, like I said, to show him that I wasn't lying. It wasn't just for the fame, I followed him for all, since he was a teenager just like me when I am now. And I knew he had the potential. So I said, I followed you. You helped me in life get through hard times because I, just like you, Ronaldo, grew up with a single mom. I never grew up without a dad either. I know what it was like. And I think the moment that really touched him, I said in his ear, and I remember whispering, not whispering, but telling him in his ear, I said, if I ever, ever had a father figure to help me in my life, I always looked up to you out of everyone in the world because of everything he's done, his actions on and off the soccer field. Ronaldo graciously chatted with the fan and walked him off with security. But the story didn't end there. Ronaldo wrote a letter to the Florida judge asking for all criminal charges to be dropped. I said to him, you know, Ronaldo, you know, I followed you and everything. Please, you know, please don't let the cops take me. And he said, don't worry, I'm going to take care of you. In the letter, Ronaldo wrote, by all accounts, he has a bright future ahead of him and I'd hate to see this future ruined by an error of judgment. The charges were dropped the next day. Cristiano is an athlete who, admittedly, takes a lot of pride in the way he looks. But after all, he does know that it's all about branding. Ronaldo opened a boutique called CR7 in his native Madeira and another in Lisbon in 2008. Last year, Ronaldo designed his own undergarment line for men under the CR7 banner, giving his critics plenty of ammunition. CR7 is the Cristiano Ronaldo brand and I think it's very significant. I don't think it's as big as Beckham, but then again, Beckham is the number one known footballer in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't born into fashion, let's be real, because in the early days when we saw him with way too much hair gel, I mean, dippity-doo was, like, his go-to. It was just to the extremes. He's used very block-bold colours, which is very much Ronaldo's way of using his fashion externally as well as internally on his underpants and socks. To Beckham, there is no comparison as footballers. Looks Beckham well in front, even though a lot of people might have you think different. He didn't care. Profits experienced a huge boost as his brand continues to grow in record numbers. You have to be in a situation where you are a role model for the children, and so as long as they see that that's what you are, then these companies that want to advertise their brands, then that's what they're doing. And then, of course, they're in a situation where they can make their own brand, they can have their own brand and sell that through, and then people will buy it. The money that's poured into the game now has risen their status massively, and that also obviously will incorporate that businesses will want to be linked with them, and sponsorship deals on top of that obviously helps to increase their income. Following in the footsteps of a former Man U player, Cristiano was on the road to becoming a legend. I've always liked fashion, you know. It's something that I like to look nice, Complete with a high-profile girlfriend to match, Irina Shayak. When you're earning the amounts of money that these guys are earning now, especially Cristiano, then what else has he probably got to spend his money on? The supermodel and Cristiano have been an item since 2010. Another soccer icon, Lionel Messi, faces the similar daunting task of performing on the grand stage of the World Cup. FC Barcelona's Messi is shorter and without the marketable good looks of Cristiano Ronaldo. I just think the way he plays the game and the goals he scores, it just looks spectacular. A lot of kids, probably because of his physical appearance as well, would want to be Ronaldo more than Messi. Messi is a great player. Everyone talks about the Messi-Ronaldo. Messi's a fantastic player, but he's a great player on a very good team and I think Ronaldo's an exceptional player and not so good sight. Ronaldo looks like he was constructed in a footballer factory, while Messi is the everyman's player, which is why many fans gravitate to him. These two often finish one and two in most of the Player of the Year awards and are constantly compared with one another. With Messi being the build that he is, he relies purely and simply on his footballing ability and for that reason, I give it to Messi. I think you've got your obvious Messi's and your Ronaldo's, but what I quite want to see is someone, not necessarily random, but coming up through the ranks, so maybe a Gonzalo Higuain from Argentina. You know, a star player, but someone who isn't necessarily as well-known as he probably should be. Ronaldo's transfer to Real Madrid only acidated the comparisons. Messi would take home the FIFA Ballon d'Or for three straight years before Ronaldo broke his streak in 2013. Good evening. There are no words to describe this moment. I want to thank all my colleagues and companions at Real Madrid, the Brazilian and the Portuguese team and my family who is here with me today. It's a very important prize and like I said in the press conference before, I'm very happy to be amongst the three best players. For me, it's a prize. Like I said, Cristiano won it and he deserved to win. Messi and Ronaldo may be highly regarded in the world of football, yet on the international stage, both come up short in comparison to the all-time greats. Pelé won three World Cups, the only player to do so. Pelé is, in my opinion, the best player I've ever seen. I've got no reason to change that, so I put Pelé in front of Ronaldo, but Ronaldo in front of Beckham. As players, looks-wise, I'd put that in reverse. Beckham, Ronaldo, Pelé wasn't any oil painting. The other Ronaldo, Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima, won two World Cups and is the leading World Cup goalscorer with an astonishing 15. Diego Maradona captained Argentina to a World Cup victory in 1986 and Sir Bobby Charlton became a legend for helping England to victory in 1966. Bobby is one of the reasons that I existed as long as I did. He believed in me. He believed in the direction that Manchester United were taking in terms of producing our young players again and Bobby played an integral part in that and I thank him today for that. This is the international stage where football's elite become legends. With an audience of over 700 million people watching from all corners of the globe, it's on this stage that the stars of the game really shine. World Cup defeats have placed a lot of pressure on this summer's 2014 campaign for Ronaldo and Messi alike. Well, when the draw happened, I was not watching. I was actually sleeping. I think I have to be honest with you. It's an extremely difficult group, with Germany, who are always one of the favourites for the title, and the others, the United States and Ghana, who also have great teams. That's why I think it is a difficult group. Portugal came through the play-offs after the qualification for the World Cup, so there's a good chance that they could be the dark horses of the World Cup. I think in our group, Russia, it will be more constant than us. They play better and we drop, not in a few moments, points that we shouldn't have lost. But it's the past. We played the play-off. It was good for us. We win both games. We play very, very good. But for Messi and Ronaldo to establish themselves as two of the game's all-time bests, they will have to win. All competitions are important, and this one is a special one because it was in Brazil. We'll be in Brazil. For us, a Portuguese country, it's very important because we have history with Brazil, the culture, and we speak the same language. So it's fantastic. We are so proud to be part of this big event. I think Cristiano's chances of becoming a legend in this World Cup will unfortunately not be solely determined by him and him alone. It will depend on how the team as a whole performs. If he can do that again, then he will earn that legend status, and rightly so, if he can take Portugal through to win the World Cup. Portuguese is the same language. We have a lot of Portuguese there, and we are very happy for that. And we try to enjoy the World Cup. It's the main competition for national teams, so we try to enjoy it. In addition to any pressure placed on the players, the host country had its own set of issues to sort through. Though Brazil was excited about hosting the World Cup, the cost of the event, with the massive security to not only protect the players, but the fans as well, the stadium construction costs well over $3 billion. Regardless, countries heavily vied for the chance of becoming the host country. England sent its own football legend and a future king to seal the deal, but to no avail. Even after winning the bid, but years before the actual event, problems arise, as in the case of Qatar. However, with Pelé as the face of Brazil's World Cup event, this one is sure to become an event for the record books. It was a surprise to everyone, what happened in Brazil, because this is a political problem. Because I mentioned about the football, this is the biggest promotion of the Brazilian country. Then when you have events like the World Cup, like the Confederation Cup, you have the Olympics, you know, then I think everybody should be together. But this is a political problem we have there, but no doubt, the World Cup will be fantastic. Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Ronaldo's impact on the sport is immense. He moves the needle. Whether you're cheering his every goal or cursing his name, he triggers a reaction. He's one of the faces of the game. And that face will once again be placed under the microscope in Brazil, where the game's best and brightest will compete in front of 700 million viewers. In the World Cup, questions are answered and the pressure to perform is nothing short of daunting. Once you reach a World Cup, anything can happen. To play at the World Cup is an honour and one that players take incredibly seriously. The pressure of playing for your country is much greater than playing for your club, for the simple reason that you've got not only pleasing one set of supporters, you're trying to please the whole country, and hence there's pressure with that in that respect. And you've also got the pressure of trying to make people understand and believe that you should be there, possibly in front of their own favourite player that plays for their club. We deserve to win 100%. Fast forward a couple of months and we find Ronaldo on a practice pitch with his Real Madrid team-mate. His performance at the 2014 World Cup is now a distant memory. Fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League Cup, there were high hopes for the Portuguese striker as he scored 17 goals in that tournament. And that's not counting the assists. Well, it was an unbelievable night to win La Décima here in Portugal with the whole beautiful crowd. Every year I try to do my best, I score goals and help the team. He also took a lot of punishment, irritating a chronic injury. An injury that would follow him to Brazil. Ronaldo's arrival was coupled with both excitement and speculation. He was in great spirits upon arriving. But it was a different story during practice sessions in full view of the press. We want to win, we can win. Now it's going to be difficult, but I think we are in good shape. He played brilliantly during team qualifiers, but it was not the same Ronaldo who took the pitch against Germany in Portugal's opening match. And the look on Ronaldo's face said it all. With a 4-0 defeat and a red card for Pepe, Portugal's hopes for victory were all but gone. Obviously it was a difficult situation to accept, but there is a body language that many, many times pushed the referees to have this kind of decisions. And to leave a team playing with a man for such a long time is obviously a big handicap for the team. Ronaldo may have had the game-changing assist in the game against the USA, but it was too late to change the outcome. USA and Germany would advance and Ronaldo would return back to Europe. Now back with Real Madrid and in better shape, the old Ronaldo has truly returned, as he scored both goals in a UEFA game against Seville. It was amazing, a fantastic evening. We won a very important trophy. And the team played fantastic. I scored two goals, which in my opinion was very important for me to give me confidence to start well the season. Some good, some feel happy. One trophy, so very good. However, even with this promising outcome, his injury came back to haunt him. Many say it's time for this legendary footballer to take a break. If the injury persists, Ronaldo's career in football could come to an untimely end. There are other teams who have Ronaldo in their sights, as Beckham builds momentum for football in the US. We don't want public funding. We will fund the stadium ourselves, create a stadium, we want to create a soccer team, a football club. That is the people's football club, it's simple as that. I've worked for some of the biggest clubs in the world with some of the greatest players in the world. And this is a dream. If someone would have turned around to me at 11 years old and said, you're going to play for Manchester United, you're going to represent England, you're going to play for Real Madrid, AC Milan, the Galaxy, and then become an owner, I probably wouldn't have believed them. Don't be surprised if Ronaldo decides to cross the Atlantic too. The girls love you. I love you, maybe because I play good football. What about Galaxy, are you going to join the Galaxy? Beckham and Belchevier played there, and I spoke with him a few times, he said he's great, he's going to play here, maybe in the future, you never know. He's such a talent, he's such a great player and a good person. He's one of the best, if not the best player in the world. Watching him is a huge pleasure for many Real Madrid fans. Believe it or not, this footballer may also have his sights set on a different sort of stage, the silver screens of Hollywood. And he always has time for charity, proving that even a freezing shower of ice isn't enough to make him flinch. Ronaldo accepted the Ice Bucket Challenge and lent his support to the ALS Association in order to raise money for this worthy cause. Following in the footsteps of some of the world's biggest names ranging from director Steven Spielberg... ..to David Beckham... ..and even top fashion editor Anna Wintour of Vogue... ..the idea is to have a freezing bucket of ice water poured on your head and bring attention to a very worthy cause. In America, the disease is known as Louis Gehrig's disease and in the UK as motor neurone disease. But the symptoms and effects are the same and devastating to sufferers and their families. For the past two weeks... ..you have been reading about the bad break I got. ..the X-Wing... ..yet today I consider myself... ..I consider myself... ..the luckiest man... ..on the face of the Earth. It's of great importance that people like Ronaldo bring such a high volume of attention to this disease as it is thought that with the right funding in the right direction this disease could be beaten. Regardless of what the future holds Ronaldo has made his mark in history. One of the best, if not the best player in the world. So for me it was a fantastic year and I win all the individual awards. This trophy is for collective awards. I'm really, really happy. Whether it's a football pitch, red carpet or magazine cover one thing is certain Ronaldo is here to stay and he certainly has the world at his feet.