Rome (AFP)
Always more goals and records: carried by an ambition and a disproportionate ego, the adulated and disparaged Cristiano Ronaldo ran all his life behind the rewards, at 20 years old as at 36 at the time of returning to Manchester United.
With five Ballons d'Or, the Portuguese, still hungry after three mixed seasons at Juventus, is second only to his eternal rival, Lionel Messi, who has won six.
At an age when footballers are sometimes already in their life after and luxury consultants on television sets, he continues to sculpt his young man's pecs and especially to stack goals.
He finished top scorer in Serie A last season (29 goals), thus succeeding in having been the best gunner in three of the five major European leagues (England with Manchester United, Spain with Real Madrid, Italy).
He left Juve with a record enriched with two Italian league titles, an Italian Cup and two Italian Super Cups.
Juventus Turin striker Cristiano Ronaldo poses with the Italian champion's trophy after the Serie A match against As Roma, August 1, 2020 in Turin Isabella BONOTTO AFP / Archives
In the Champions League, despite the early eliminations season after season with the Bianconeri, he consolidated his position as top scorer in the history of the C1 (134 goals to date, against 120 for Messi, his first pursuer).
The joy of Cristiano Ronaldo, after scoring the 3rd goal for Juventus Turin against Barcelona, during the Champions League group match, on December 8, 2020 at Camp Nou Josep LAGO AFP / Archives
With 783 goals (including 109 with Portugal) among professionals, he exceeded the legendary total attributed to "king" Pelé (767) and is eyeing the 805 of Czech Josef Bican.
- Carapace of muscles -
To be the first, at the top, at the risk of attracting criticism to play it "personal" in a team sport, such has always been the goal of this bling-bling youngster protected by an unalterable shell of muscles and insurance. .
The only time she split a little, it was in the face of the rape accusations that targeted her in the summer of 2018, before the American justice decided not to prosecute him for lack of evidence.
To become "CR7", this nickname which he made a mark, it took a sacred ambition, almost "abnormal", in the words of Zinédine Zidane, his former coach at Real Madrid.
It was this aspiration that led him from the small island of Madeira, in the Atlantic Ocean, to Lisbon, where he landed alone at the age of 12.
A very difficult uprooting for the frail kid, mocked by his Sporting Portugal comrades because of his strong island accent.
"He would get angry and fight often. I tried to protect him, but he would come back to the residence in tears", told AFP José Semedo, also become a footballer and remained one of his best friends.
This skin-deep character has earned Ronaldo a dozen red cards in his career and frequent moods on the pitch.
The joy of Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo after a goal against Barcelona in the first leg of the Spanish Supercup, August 13, 2017 at Camp Nou STRINGER AFP / Archives
Admired by all but loved by less, Ronaldo built his career as he worked his body, through work and discipline, indispensable companions of his natural talent.
- Asceticism -
But the asceticism in the job doesn't prevent the emphasis in self-celebration, and Ronaldo doesn't pretend to hide all the good he thinks about himself.
"Because I am rich, I am beautiful, I am a great player, people are jealous of me", also declared the Portuguese in 2011.
His opulence, this god of the stadium with slicked back hair, an annual salary of 31 million euros in Turin and diamond earrings also readily displays him on social networks: sumptuous lifestyle, gleaming cars, private plane.
But in recent years, his family life with Spanish model Georgina Rodriguez and her four children has taken an increasingly prominent place in the photos he shows his more than 330 million followers on Instagram, network on which he is the most followed personality in the world.
Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo with his partner the Spanish model Georgina Rodriguez and his son Cristiano Jr after the Champions League final victory against Liverpool on May 26, 2018 in Kiev Sergei SUPINSKY AFP / Archives
With age, the Portuguese seems to try to erase his most divisive aspects, even if he still happens to ignite some controversy. As when he castigates during the last Euro a brand of soft drink, sponsor of the event. Or when he posted a message in the fall of 2020 calling the PCR test for the coronavirus "bullshit", disappointed to have to miss a match against FC Barcelona of his rival Messi because of positive tests.
Message very quickly withdrawn because Cristiano Ronaldo must also take care of the business "CR7": his image is declined in the form of a line of underwear, a perfume, a chain of hotels, as well as of a museum to his glory in Madeira, where an extraordinary journey began that will bring him back to Manchester, the club with which he raised his first Champions League.
© 2021 AFP