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00:00You
00:30It's called the beautiful game for a reason.
00:46A distinction accurately painted by the game's legendary artist, Pelé.
00:50Football, or soccer as it's known in the US, is the number one sport in 93 countries.
00:54Most important is to do, you know, for the foreigners, for the people who are going to be there,
01:01nice show and receive well the people there.
01:06And one can link its worldwide popularity to its simplicity.
01:09No financial obstacles, because all you need is a football.
01:13I think it's the only game in the world that brings every single country together.
01:16Yes, it's one language, it's football.
01:19But what sport does is it brings everyone together, it gets everyone talking.
01:23From back alleys and side streets to muddy fields and scorched sand, it can be played anywhere.
01:29By anyone, boys and girls, rich and poor, it's inviting to all walks of life.
01:34Football now is a sport which is taken very seriously.
01:38For 3,000 years this has been the world's game.
01:41And for many centuries every legend started from the same point.
01:44From Beckham to Pelé and Sir Bobby Charlton, their journey began the same manner as everyone else.
01:50It's very good for everyone, to make people healthy, people with passion for football.
01:58For 3,000 years this has been the world's game.
02:01And for many centuries every legend started from the same point.
02:05Cristiano Ronaldo, star player for Real Madrid and Portugal, was moulded from the same humble beginnings.
02:11On the 5th of February 1985, a baby boy was born to Maria Dolores dos Santos Aviero and Jose Diniz Aviero.
02:38They were simple people, making their way through life as a cook and a gardener in Santo Antonio, Funchal.
02:46This small town is located on the island of Madeira, Portugal, overlooking the ocean.
02:51Santo Antonio means Saint Anthony, and on that day, a saint was indeed delivered into the world of football.
02:58Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aviero.
03:01Named after his father's favourite actor, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Ronaldo's early life hardly resembled a Hollywood movie.
03:11His rag-to-riches story begins with a childhood rooted in severe poverty.
03:16His Catholic family, like many others in the town, struggled to survive.
03:20Food and shelter were considered luxuries, and at Christmas time there was rarely any sign of Santa Claus.
03:26Their house was a tin-roofed shack, which would often leak due to the warm and powerful thunderstorms that graced the Portugal coast each summer.
03:35A lot of guys do come out from poverty, hard upbringings, and that's their motivation.
03:43A lot of that is the motivation that keeps them pushing.
03:45Cristiano was the youngest child, having an elder brother, Hugo, and two elder sisters, Elma and Liliana Katia.
03:54Quarters were tight, as Ronaldo, his brother, and two sisters shared one room.
03:59The dirt floor was their bed.
04:02Crumpled clothing served as a pillow.
04:04In addition to the financial hardships of this family, he also found it hard to make friends his own age.
04:11He was a lonely boy, and his only companion became a tattered football he found in an alleyway.
04:18He would take the ball to a nearby wall, and there, between the cement and stone, he practiced.
04:25He'd spend every waking hour with his friend, skipping meals and sometimes school, to the annoyance of his mother.
04:32What inspired you to take golf soccer?
04:40What inspired you to start playing?
04:43Well, that one is a tough question and a good question.
04:48I don't know why I am a footballer, maybe because of the sports that I sit when I'm a kid.
04:54It's what made me more attention, maybe because of my brother, my father, my cousins, because they all play football.
05:07I have made a presence, live, and I am happy, with a lot of energy, to make the best.
05:18The�.
05:18The�.
05:23Ronaldo's childhood mirrored that of another football great, Edison Arendez Donacimento.
05:29You probably know him simply as Pele.
05:32Before 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.
05:41His father, a minor league footballer, taught Pelé, and with his unmatched dedication he flourished.
05:47Pelé would become the youngest player ever to win the World Cup at just 17 years old, scoring six goals for Brazil.
05:59And for Ronaldo, much like Pelé, if it wasn't about football, it was a nuisance.
06:04Football was his life. He moulded his skills playing against everyone and anyone, young and old.
06:11Without application, your talent doesn't mean anything. You've got to have to two.
06:17Application without talent is difficult, but you can still maybe get by. Talent without no application, you've got no chance.
06:26At the age of eight, Ronaldo joined amateur local team Andorina.
06:30At that age, this young child was a far cry from the muscled athlete that commands the pitch today.
06:35And even though he was skinnier and less developed than his competition, Ronaldo's talents were recognised immediately.
06:41Ronaldo, he started off at a really young age. I mean, you know, like we all do when we're starting football.
06:47And when you get to sort of an age of 10, 11, 12 years old, you'll then start finding that these clubs will be,
06:53and professional clubs will be looking at you to see whether they can actually move you forward.
06:58Ronaldo'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.
07:06And the competition is tough. Having the ability to occasionally strike the ball into the goal is not enough to get you noticed.
07:13The first thing we look for in any player is what natural ability he's got. Now, it's not what we can coach him, it's what he's got that he shows us, what does he bring to us.
07:22And then after that was, you know, does he got 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?
07:30First and foremost is his own natural ability.
07:33However, 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.
07:44He had the opportunity then to move to a size or 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.
07:59Though 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.
08:08But way before the fancy cars, expensive clothes and supermodel girlfriends, Ronaldo was alone.
08:14Miles from home, in a strange city, school was a struggle and his only redemption came on the pitch.
08:20Constantly bullied by classmates for his Madarine accent and forced to be alone, he lost faith in his education and teachers.
08:28It reached a boiling point at 14 when Ronaldo threw a chair at an instructor. He was expelled.
08:34This was not an issue in his mother's eyes. As his biggest ally, Ronaldo's mother rallied around her youngest son.
08:42She 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.
08:53That'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.
08:59We'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 is good enough.
09:08But the next year, Ronaldo was dealt another difficult card. He was diagnosed with a racing heart condition. A diagnosis that could have ended his football career.
09:19Here you go.
09:26Though the young player thought the issue was merely a waste of time, Maria was devastated.
09:31So it's his heart. We'll have to enter and operate.
09:37We'll have to enter and operate.
09:40Oh no, but is it going to be better?
09:43It's going to be better than before.
09:45Don't worry.
09:46Okay, it's fine. Everything will be fine.
09:49Let's do something.
09:51Okay.
09:52Thankfully for us, his mother opted to let Ronaldo have the operation and the rest, as they say, is history.
10:01Better than new, the stars aligned for the young phenomenon on August the 12th, 2003.
10:0717 years old and already a prime target among football scouts, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sporting faced off against football giant Manchester United.
10:14Old Trafford's a far cry from the dirt pitches of Madeira, Portugal and the Red Devils of football icons.
10:20Undaunted in front of the legendary coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, and giving the performance of a lifetime, Sporting won 3-1.
10:27And Ronaldo was the only thing that anyone could talk about.
10:30Manchester United was, for me, I think that was his stepping stone to move his career much more forward.
10:37I saw something there in a player that really could progress and become something big.
10:43And, of course, we all know it's today. That's what was the case.
10:45Ironically, it wasn't the assistant coaches who had the idea to sign Ronaldo to Manchester United.
10:49It was the players.
10:51On the way home from the match, a few of his would-be teammates convinced Ferguson that Ronaldo should be on their side.
10:57But other clubs had taken notice of the teenage phenomenon.
11:00Ronaldo's path to Manchester United was almost derailed by Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger.
11:06In fact, Ronaldo was so close to signing with the Gunners, Wenger gave Ronaldo his own number nine jersey.
11:11But Ferguson was able to snatch the Portuguese star.
11:14I remember he came here as a 17-year-old lad and really developed himself here as a great footballer.
11:18So I think we are proud of that.
11:20Never one to mince his words, Ferguson was a visionary who led one of the world's best football clubs for over two decades.
11:27He brought home 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles.
11:32The training session, intensity, expectation, the level of concentration will always manifest itself on a Saturday.
11:40He's had an amazing career.
11:42One that many managers look at and want to achieve what he has achieved.
11:49You know, I owe him a lot as a manager for the way he brought me into Manchester United.
11:56And then he groomed me into a player that went on to win 19 trophies.
12:01Upon his arrival, it was requested that Ronaldo wear a special jersey.
12:05I want you to join us.
12:17Leave my club in Spain?
12:19This move will change your life.
12:25But Ferguson insisted.
12:27Cristiano Ronaldo would don the heavily weighted number seven.
12:30One more thing.
12:31I want to wear number seven.
12:34I can't.
12:35That number belongs to legends.
12:38Exactly.
12:49So you're looking for a father figure to look after you and take you under your wings.
12:53And you, as a player, would need to trust that particular person.
12:57And that's obviously what happened.
12:59And when you've got a manager like Sir Alex Ferguson and the backroom staff,
13:02and the players, of course, help him to settle,
13:05that would allow him then to freely play his football.
13:09Ronaldo signed with United for a transfer fee of an extraordinary 15 million euros.
13:15You've got a manager that had been there for 20-odd years
13:17that had won pretty much, well, everything in the game.
13:21Unbelievable success record.
13:22I think it's just the way I play.
13:27Ever since I was a youngster in Madeira,
13:29I've always been a player that enjoyed taking someone on one-on-one.
13:32It's in my nature.
13:34And I've always done this.
13:35You speed with the ball, either foot, manipulating it,
13:38making decisions in and outside the full-back,
13:41playing and then moving in another position.
13:43I'd done it speed.
13:44And everyone was done at great speed.
13:46And I think that was the thing that made me sit up.
13:49Ronaldo wasn't the first young football star to join Manchester and wear the number seven.
13:54David Beckham began his career with the Red Devils at the age of just 17.
13:59Beckham was to quickly fulfil his potential as one of the world's best,
14:03winning six league titles and two FA Cups at the hallowed grounds of Old Trafford.
14:07It was always a lovely smile, you know, and he'd always present himself well.
14:11But as a young kid, when I got him at 12 years of age,
14:14his great desire was to be the best football.
14:17He was a fantastic trainer, practised all the time.
14:20At night time, he'd come back with the school boys and practise with them.
14:24Much like Ronaldo, Beckham has played the role of hero and villain.
14:28In a 1998 World Cup second round match against Argentina,
14:32Beckham, after being fouled, kicked midfielder Diego Simeone in the calf.
14:37Beckham was given a red card and England was eliminated.
14:41Beckham was blamed for the defeat and he and his family received death threats.
14:45He was demonised in the media.
14:47Crazed fans hung and burned an effigy of him outside a pub.
14:51You'd much rather have your own fans.
14:53You do expect a little stick from opposition fans,
14:56but you'd much rather have your own fans with you than against you.
15:00And fans help much more when you're having a bad time.
15:04It's easy to cheer your team when you're doing well,
15:07but when you're having a bit of a rough time,
15:09you need your fans to get through it.
15:10But in 2002, Beckham helped England to qualify for the World Cup Finals
15:14with a legendary free-kick goal against Greece with little time remaining.
15:18I don't believe it! David Beckham scores the goal!
15:24This triumph helped Beckham restore his relationship with the football fans of England.
15:28Another example of how performance on the international stage can truly define a player's career.
15:33If Beckham's the link, if you like, with these players and the countries,
15:37then there's a good chance that he may come over, Ronaldo,
15:41to participate in the US league, the MLS.
15:45And if he does, I certainly think that that would be a huge coup for the US.
15:50I'm excited about bringing the team and being part of the MLS
15:53and continuing to be a part of the MLS.
15:55Cristiano Ronaldo's United career proved to be successful from the get-go.
16:00In his first season, Ronaldo scored the opening goal in United's 3-0 FA Cup final victory over Millwall.
16:06The first ever Portuguese footballer to play for Manchester United,
16:09Cristiano Ronaldo had not only arrived, but also became Player of the Year.
16:14Ronaldo is heralded as a master striker.
16:18He plays an attacking role better than anyone,
16:20often referred to as the Sultan of the Stepover,
16:23showing unmatched skill with both feet
16:25and the ability to beat players one-on-one unparalleled in the rest of the game.
16:29The whole game of the football has changed, completely changed.
16:33You know, you've got all this different dietitian-ly type of food that you have to eat now,
16:37and then monitor your heart rate, your pulse rate, everything.
16:42His height, strength and vertical leap give him an edge in aerial challenges,
16:45and the majority of his goals are in fact headers.
16:48I think he's been a fantastic advert for the game.
16:51His scoring record ratio to games played is second to none.
16:55Ronaldo, tremendous player.
16:58One of the best players in the world, if not the best goalscorer in the world.
17:03And when he scores goals, left foot, right foot, he can head a ball,
17:09he can take people on, he's step-overs.
17:12At the height of his success at Manchester United in 2005,
17:15Ronaldo was dealt a significant blow.
17:17His father passed away.
17:19Jose died due to a chronic liver condition,
17:22brought on by years of struggling against alcoholism.
17:25He was only 52 years old.
17:27Ronaldo, only 20 at the time, was hit hard by the loss.
17:31But as at every moment of hardship in his life,
17:33Ronaldo's mother Maria was there for him.
17:35She's been an unwavering pillar of support and love in his life.
17:39And he said often that he would not be where he is today without his mother.
17:43Ronaldo still carries a lingering heartache for his father's passing,
17:49as he never got to share any of his success with his father.
17:52To this day, he never forgets how his dad was instrumental in getting him started in the sport.
17:59Many think him too much of a peacock, preening and flashy,
18:03concerned completely with his image.
18:05He doesn't make it easy, turning many viewers off with his arrogance and overconfidence.
18:10Where I think he's toned it down, I think by hanging out with models
18:13and other sports stars that are on the kind of salary that he's on,
18:16it has taught him a lot for how to, you know, look good but keep it minimum,
18:22which he's never done well.
18:24He loves the bling bling, he loves a solid tan,
18:26but I think he's learned a lot and he's matured a lot
18:29and that's seen through his fashion and his clothing choices.
18:33The guy is a total professional.
18:35What he does in his own time is up to him.
18:37I mean, he's obviously, I think he gives quite a good image for a footballer.
18:46What he does in his own time is up to him.
18:55Other fans think he dives without the slightest contact
18:58and are annoyed that a player as well-built as Ronaldo would take to the turf so easily.
19:02Ronaldo's penchant for persuading referees
19:05was highlighted in a 2006 World Cup match against England.
19:09Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United teammate,
19:11was whistled for stamping on a Portugal defender.
19:14Ronaldo immediately started to plead his case to the ref and Rooney shoved him.
19:18Rooney was given the red card and as he left the pitch,
19:22cameras caught Ronaldo winking at his teammate.
19:25Portugal may have won the quarter-final match,
19:27but Ronaldo didn't win many fans in the process.
19:30Someone's probably going to break your legs in a nasty tackle.
19:34Could be Rooney, you never know.
19:39He's got to get you back for one, isn't he?
19:42Rumours of turmoil began to spread.
19:45The tension between Ronaldo and Rooney following the now infamous wink
19:48would be too much for Manchester United to overcome.
19:51Ronaldo was taking the brunt of the blame.
19:54CR7, as he was known, was becoming football's greatest villain.
19:59You just have to learn that a big part of your life is not going to be private
20:07and to be very mindful with your words, you know,
20:12because you slip up once, they don't forget it.
20:14Soon reports surfaced that Ronaldo wanted to transfer
20:16and Real Madrid was his chosen team.
20:18He had to get there by going through Manchester United
20:23and the progression that he made through that club enabled him then
20:26to move forward into a Real Madrid team that today is huge.
20:32And that's the club that he wanted to go to.
20:35His family, I think, wanted him to go to that club as well, his mother.
20:39And he was in a situation where he couldn't say no.
20:42Press told stories of a torn locker room
20:44and the team's chemistry in jeopardy.
20:46No one could blame Ronaldo if he left.
20:49He could have blamed it on the fan reaction, the resentment.
20:52He had a built-in excuse
20:53and that the World Cup incident was too much to overcome.
20:57But Cristiano Ronaldo rarely takes the easy route.
21:01There are things in life that deserve no comment.
21:03This is one more of those that will receive no comments.
21:06On my part, for obvious reasons,
21:08I have always respected all my coaches everywhere I've been
21:11and I always keep the positive things.
21:13So I always try to learn something new from them.
21:15To talk about people that speak ill of me.
21:17Well, it's not something that I am used to.
21:19People talk ill of me, especially in Portugal,
21:21but I don't spit into the plate that I eat from.
21:24Does he understand that?
21:25Is that correct?
21:26I just try to keep to the positive thing.
21:28If you watch the players, the first thing they want to do at the end of the game
21:31is go across to their own supporters and thank them.
21:34But on the other hand, you've got other clubs where if things aren't working out
21:39then the fans can turn on you very quickly.
21:41And that's why he's got as far as he has done today by playing for Real Madrid
21:44because of his arrogance, his professionalism.
21:47Ronaldo met manager Sir Alex Ferguson for dinner in Portugal to discuss the situation.
21:53Sir Alex is no stranger to handling football superstars and convinced the young striker to stay.
21:59A five-year extension was inked and Ronaldo became the highest paid player in the team's history.
22:04They are more or less film stars, movie stars.
22:08The amount of money that's poured into the game now has risen their status massively.
22:13On the heels of his new five-year deal, Ronaldo carried the Red Devils
22:17to its second of what would be three straight English Premier League championships,
22:21as well as taking home the UEFA Champions League trophy.
22:25I just try to do my best all the time, season by season.
22:28I try to be a better player, a better person.
22:32I try to learn myself all the time.
22:35And I have an opportunity to score goals and I score.
22:38One of the gems of Ferguson's legendary career
22:41was keeping Ronaldo in a United uniform for as long as he did.
22:45Ferguson was known for cultivating talent, as well as clashing with it.
22:50Tensions between Ferguson and David Beckham boiled over in 2003
22:54when following a loss to Arsenal in the FA Cup,
22:57Ferguson kicked a boot at David Beckham,
22:59resulting in the Englishman getting stitches above his eye.
23:01David did not have two stitches put in his eye, did no stitches.
23:04So it was a graze and he's dealt with with the doctor, no problem.
23:10And we move on.
23:12And similar to Beckham, Ronaldo eventually was granted his request
23:16to transfer to Real Madrid in 2009.
23:19The £80 million transfer fee was a record at that time.
23:23I think we have a player in the top of his game.
23:25We have a player that left Portugal with an incredible talent,
23:30transformed that incredible talent in his time in Manchester.
23:34And now knowing a third coach, I think he achieved his maximum level.
23:40He's a fabulous player and normally this kind of players, they can make a difference.
23:47That's until current teammate Gareth Bale join Madrid, transferring over from Tottenham in the Barclays Premier League.
23:53Our guys are doing amazing.
23:55He started a little bit, as I say, with some injuries, some small problems.
24:01It's normally because he didn't do the pre-season.
24:04And after what's happened with him, a lot of pressure, you know, it's hard.
24:09But I think now he's in a good way.
24:11He helped us a lot.
24:12He's integrated more in the team.
24:14The people like him, like the supporters and the players around him.
24:20I think it's a fantastic player and I wish that he can help us to win trophies.
24:26Cristiano Ronaldo is, for me, the best player in the world.
24:29I think he's a massive factor why I wanted to come here as well.
24:32I think the team is full of world-class players and it comes no better than him.
24:38And it will obviously be an honour.
24:41At first, everyone wondered if these two could play together in harmony.
24:46It's not difficult for him, but I understand that.
24:49If you speak with him, you can see that he's very exciting to play, to help the team, to getting better and better.
24:56But it's better to leave him alone.
24:58Don't make him pressure.
24:59Do pressure to another player.
25:00Leave him alone because I'm sure 100% that he's going to do well for the club.
25:05He's going to help us a lot because he's a fantastic player.
25:08He's a fantastic boy.
25:09And he always wants to learn.
25:11And this is the most important.
25:13Now, after the first season, the combination of Ronaldo and Bale is proving to be deadly for any opposing team.
25:21Cristiano Ronaldo soon became a worldwide phenomenon.
25:25He's the most Google-searched athlete across the globe.
25:28Millions idolise him.
25:30And just as many hate him, he is the ultimate polarising figure in sports.
25:34I think that Ronaldo coming from a very poor background has indeed had an effect on his career and on his business decisions.
25:44I think that he has had to claw his way up and take every opportunity that's given to him.
25:51But equally, so too have other people that have come from much better off backgrounds.
25:56But I think he's been very clever in the way that he's used his, perhaps, skills that he learnt as a young age to his advantage today.
26:07Although much of Ronaldo's skill was shaped and moulded with his fiery determination and will and pure hard work,
26:14one wonders if this otherworldly talent got an assist from destiny.
26:18Born on February the 5th, 1985, under the Aquarian Sun and Leo Moon,
26:23the stars lit the path for Ronaldo, equipping him with the relentless passion to be great.
26:28Aquarians are brilliant communicators that work well with the media,
26:32so they're an absolute gift to any corporate organisation trying to push their wares.
26:37And Ronaldo has made many endorsements for most products you can think of.
26:42Those born with an Aquarian Sun can be enchanting and often unhinged.
26:46The placement of Mars could tell us that little Cristiano Ronaldo would become a man of action,
26:51a self-sufficient born leader.
26:53It seems even the cosmos had made it their goal to see Ronaldo armed with all the traits of a superior athletic force.
26:59Ronaldo is a really typical Aquarian.
27:02He just loves the limelight and Ronaldo will always want to succeed.
27:07He'll always want to be number one, the best.
27:10And if money comes with it, well, money comes with it.
27:13Aquarians can take it or leave it with money, but when money really comes to an Aquarian,
27:18it either comes big time or nothing at all.
27:21In Ronaldo's case, he's made plenty in his life.
27:24But he's not the only one in his family to gain fame.
27:27Ronaldo's older sister, Katia Aviero, is a singer and signed a record deal in 2013.
27:32It's a good experience.
27:34I'm learning every day with him.
27:38And for any artist, it's a dream.
27:41It's good.
27:43But my responsibility is very large.
27:47Because Head One is a very efficient producer.
27:52And for me, it's a reason to work more, to be better, to learn every day.
28:01And for any artist, it's a dream.
28:04And I'll give myself the best and continue the path.
28:07Naturally, Ronaldo has always been her biggest fan, as she used to sing around the house when they were younger.
28:13No matter where her career takes her, Katia knows her younger brother will always be there to support her dreams.
28:18As Ronaldo's legions of fans grew, so did his critics.
28:23Ronaldo instantly had a target on his back.
28:26Tabloid magazines and websites hounded his every move off the pitch.
28:30What are the words to describe Cristiano Ronaldo?
28:32Skimpy.
28:33Love skimpy.
28:34Speedos.
28:35I don't get it.
28:36I suppose if you look that good, you can show it off.
28:38But he shows it off a lot.
28:40Any celebrity knows that as fame rises, privacy often falls.
28:44Paparazzi are an issue for any star.
28:46But for a global icon like Ronaldo, it can be impossible to find a moment's peace.
28:51His home is stalked by cameramen and videographers, often provoking him with personal questions.
29:07How's your baby?
29:10And Ronaldo has clashed with a paparazzo on more than one occasion.
29:14It's hard to blame him considering how much they hawk his every single move.
29:18I think the difference with the Beckhams is that they're a partnership.
29:21There's one of Ronaldo, there's two Beckhams.
29:24They weren't the people that arrived on the scene many years ago.
29:28Ronaldo, I think, is equally making that effort.
29:31He comes from a very different culture, a very, very different way of life.
29:35However, his salary does allow the striker to outrun the Paps.
29:39The footballer has some of the fastest and most expensive cars on the planet.
29:43Whether he's whipping by in his Bugatti Veyron or cruising in his Rolls-Royce Phantom,
29:47he's spent nearly $5 million on his treasured car collection.
29:52Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the highest paid sportsmen in the world,
29:55so you can imagine he's going to have one of the best collections in the world.
30:00I mean, you can start off, he's got Bugatti Veyron.
30:03He's got plenty of Lamborghinis, McLarens, Ferraris, Bentleys.
30:08Pretty much anything you can imagine Cristiano Ronaldo will have.
30:12The lifestyle is fantastic.
30:15There is money, there are cars, there are houses, media exposure.
30:19It's very difficult to live a life in the limelight,
30:22and that's why I think you see a lot of the younger stars
30:25sort of failing as it would be in many aspects of life by the time they're mid-twenties.
30:30He likes to be seen, he's got a lot of convertibles, so he'll pop the roof and people, you know,
30:35he wants people to see him driving these cars, and that's part of his character.
30:39But he doesn't only fill his own garage.
30:42Ronaldo promised the five-person training staff of Real Madrid
30:45that if he won the FIFA Ballon d'Or he would buy each of them a new car of their choice.
30:51In 2013, Ronaldo went home with the award, and true to his word,
30:55his training staff was driving home in their brand new cars soon after.
31:00I cannot expect a better night than this one, even in my dreams,
31:04so I have to be proud of my work, what I did during the year,
31:09and this is going to give me motivation to work more and dedicate myself more for the future,
31:16and I hope to be here next year to try to win the third one.
31:19Throughout his career, Ronaldo made headlines on and off the pitch.
31:23Recently, he announced that there is a Junior Ronaldo.
31:26The identity of the mother has never been released.
31:29The boy, named Cristiano Ronaldo Junior, attends every match with his grandmother.
31:34Ronaldo says he plans to raise him with religious values and won't spoil him,
31:38even though he's being raised in immense wealth.
31:41Ronaldo prides himself on being a loving and caring dad.
31:44Ronaldo, despite his gargantuan wealth and success,
31:48is always mindful of where he came from and the hardships he had to endure to achieve his dreams.
31:53The asphalt alley and stone well are never far from his thoughts.
31:57It's very important for the kids to have models.
32:02I don't say examples, but models.
32:05People who really love the sport.
32:08And I think the best ones, they all really love the sport.
32:15They work very hard in training.
32:18They can work hours and hours to improve themselves.
32:22It's like an obsession.
32:24And they're all very passionate about the sport.
32:27And it's important.
32:29If you're looking for Ronaldo on his day off,
32:31you probably won't find him in a local bar.
32:34Odds are he could be at a youth practice in his native Portuguese.
32:37Hello, hello.
32:38We passed, passed, passed, passed, and we didn't shoot.
32:41One opportunity, shoot to the net.
32:44I think they play all in the same place.
32:57They have to make the space huge.
33:01Try to be fast.
33:02Try to, you know, faith in.
33:04And to try to change acceleration.
33:07Just try to have the ball in good control.
33:10Good control.
33:21Cristiano Ronaldo has been criticized for his extravagant spending and lifestyle.
33:25But without question, his heart, support, and generosity
33:29have saved many lives and given hope to those that most need it.
33:34In December of 2004, Ronaldo's number seven was a symbol of hope.
33:40An earthquake off the coast of Indonesia caused one of the most catastrophic tsunamis in recorded history.
33:46A six-year-old Akinese boy named Maltunis was swept out to sea by the massive wave.
33:51Maltunis was carried into a mangrove swamp.
33:54All he had to survive on was rainwater in puddles
33:57and packets of dried noodles that had washed up in the wave.
34:00He was alone like this for 19 days before he was rescued
34:04and reunited with his father and grandfather.
34:07News agencies broadcasted images of Maltunis
34:10wearing a tattered, blood-stained red football jersey with the number seven.
34:15The image of Maltunis in that shirt went viral, as did his story.
34:19The young boy lost his mother and sister in the tsunami.
34:23Touched and heartbroken, Ronaldo visited Maltunis in Indonesia.
34:28He paid for the boys' education and made large donations
34:31to rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts for the community.
34:34We are like examples for the people and we have to give a good answer all the time
34:39for them to follow us like an example.
34:43So it's great. I feel very proud for that, to be an example for the world, for the kids.
34:49Ronaldo also raised funds for an improved mangrove forestation,
34:53a key element in helping to save Maltunis' life during the aftermath of this heart-wrenching event.
35:03Ronaldo's critics perhaps ignore the star's many philanthropic efforts.
35:08When Ronaldo found out his biggest fan had life-threatening cancer, his world stopped spinning.
35:13His mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and fought through a series of debilitating radiation treatments
35:20to regain her health.
35:22Having seen her suffer, Cristiano generously donated £100,000 to the hospital that saved his mum's life.
35:28He continues to support charities related to cancer and helped build a specialist centre at Hospital Central in his native Madeira.
35:36This past year, Ronaldo received a letter from the family of ten-year-old Eric Cruz Ortiz.
35:42The little Real Madrid fan had a brain abnormality that required surgery,
35:47and the parents were hoping Ronaldo would donate a jersey and some shoes that they could auction off to save money.
35:53Ronaldo went a few steps further. He paid the £60,000 for the operation.
35:58Massive inspiration to, if you go back home to Portugal, I mean the whole of the country love him.
36:06People don't know about the philanthropic work that he does. A lot of his money goes back into his home country.
36:13I know he's massively involved in the slums around in Portugal.
36:18He's been doing lots and lots of work there that people don't know about.
36:21Despite all his fame and wealth, no one can say that Ronaldo is not a man of the people.
36:26During Real Madrid's 3-1 victory over Chelsea at the UEFA Champions League friendly in Miami,
36:32a fan raced onto the pitch to give Ronaldo a hug.
36:42I remember holding him, saying thank you, thank you, thank you for this, thank you for all you've done for me.
36:48I would have been where I am right now if I hadn't followed you as a role model.
36:52I said, always followed you since 2005, 2006, before you were even famous in Madrid.
36:58And I wish I had the jersey, like I said, to show him that I wasn't lying.
37:02It wasn't just for the fame, I followed him for all since he was a teenager just like me when I am now.
37:08And I knew he had the potential, so I said I followed you.
37:11You helped me in life get through hard times because I, just like you, Ronaldo, grew up with a single mom.
37:17I never grew up without a dad either, I know what it was like.
37:20And I think the moment that really touched him, I said in his ear, and I remember whispering,
37:23not whispering, but telling him in his ear, I said,
37:25if 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
37:32because of everything he's done, his actions on and off the soccer field.
37:36Ronaldo graciously chatted with the fan and walked him off with security.
37:40But the story didn't end there.
37:42Ronaldo wrote a letter to the Florida judge asking for all criminal charges to be dropped.
37:47I said to him, you know, Ronaldo, you know, I followed you and everything,
37:50and please, you know, please don't let the cops take me.
37:54And he said, don't worry, I'm going to take care of you.
37:56In the letter, Ronaldo wrote,
37:57By all accounts, he has a bright future ahead of him, and I'd hate to see this future ruined by an error of judgement.
38:02The charges were dropped the next day.
38:04Cristiano is an athlete who admittedly takes a lot of pride in the way he looks.
38:12But after all, he does know that it's all about branding.
38:15Ronaldo opened a boutique called CR7 in his native Madeira and another in Lisbon in 2008.
38:21Last year, Ronaldo designed his own undergarment line for men under the CR7 banner, giving his critics plenty of ammunition.
38:28CR7 is the Christian Ronaldo brand, and I think it's very significant.
38:32I don't think it's as big as Beckham, but then again, Beckham is the number one known footballer in the world.
38:38Cristiano Ronaldo, I wasn't born into fashion, let's be real.
38:42Because in the early days when we saw him with way too much hair gel, I mean, Dippity Doo was like his go-to.
38:49It was just to the extremes.
38:51He'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.
39:01To Beckham, there is no comparison as footballers.
39:04Looks Beckham well in front, even though a lot of people might have you think different.
39:09He didn't care. Profits experienced a huge boost as his brand continues to grow in record numbers.
39:14You 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,
39:23then these companies that want to advertise their brands, then that's what they're doing.
39:28And 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.
39:36The money that's poured into the game now has risen their status massively, and that also obviously will incorporate that.
39:45Businesses will want to be linked with them, and sponsorship deals on top of that obviously helps to increase their income.
39:53Following in the footsteps of a former Man U player, Cristiano was on the road to becoming a legend.
39:58I've always liked fashion, you know, it's something that I like to look nice, whether it's being on the pitch or whether it's, you know, out having dinner with the family.
40:07Complete with a high-profile girlfriend to match, Irina Shayek.
40:10When 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?
40:19The 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.
40:30FC Barcelona's Messi is shorter and without the marketable good looks of Cristiano Ronaldo.
40:36I just think the way he plays the game and the goals he scores and it just looks, you know, spectacular.
40:45A lot of kids, probably because of his physical appearance as well, would want to be Ronaldo more than Messi.
40:51Messi is a great player, everyone talks about the Messi-Ronaldo. Messi's a fantastic player, but he's a great player and a very good team and I think Ronaldo's an exceptional player and not so good side.
41:04Ronaldo looks like he was constructed in a footballer factory, while Messi is the everyman's player, which is why many fans gravitate to him.
41:12These two often finish one and two in most of the Player of the Year awards and are constantly compared with one another.
41:18With 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.
41:26I think you've got your obvious Messis and your Ronaldos, but what I quite want to see is someone, not necessarily random,
41:32but 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.
41:42Ronaldo's transfer to Real Madrid only acevated the comparisons. Messi would take home the FIFA Ballon d'Or for three straight years before Ronaldo broke his streak in 2013.
41:54and he had to schedule his first year in 2014.
42:02Baloyal Torsten King
42:07Patel King
42:09Paul
42:10Romero
42:11Paul
42:12Romero
42:13Romero
42:14Romero
42:15Romero
42:16Romero
42:17Romero
42:18Romero
42:19Romero
42:21Romero
42:22Good evening.
42:44There are no words to describe this moment.
42:52I want to thank all my colleagues and companions at Real Madrid, the Brazilian and the Portuguese
43:08team and my family who is here with me today.
43:12It's a very important prize and like I said in the press conference before, I'm very happy
43:16to be amongst the three best players.
43:18For me it's a prize, like I said, Cristiano won it and he deserved to win.
43:40Messi and Ronaldo may be highly regarded in the world of football, yet on the international
43:45stage both come up short in comparison to the all-time greats.
43:50Pele won three World Cups, the only player to do so.
43:54Pele is, in my opinion, the best player I've ever seen and I've got no reason to change
43:59that.
44:00So I'll put Pele in front of Ronaldo, but Ronaldo in front of Beckham as players.
44:04Looks wise, I'll put that in reverse.
44:06Beckham, Ronaldo, Pele wasn't any oil painting.
44:09The other Ronaldo, Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima, won two World Cups and is the leading
44:15World Cup goalscorer with an astonishing 15.
44:19Diego Maradona captained Argentina to a World Cup victory in 1986 and Sir Bobby Charlton became
44:25a legend for helping England to victory in 1966.
44:29Sir Bobby is one of the reasons that I existed as long as I did in the early days of Manchester
44:37United because he believed in me.
44:39He believed in the direction that Manchester United were taking in terms of producing our
44:43young players again and Bobby played an integral part in that and I thank him today for that.
44:51This is the international stage where football's elite become legends.
44:55With an audience of over 700 million people watching from all corners of the globe, it's
45:00on this stage that the stars of the game really shine.
45:04World Cup defeats have placed a lot of pressure on this summer's 2014 campaign for Ronaldo and
45:09Messi alike.
45:10Well, when the draw happened, I was not watching, I was actually sleeping.
45:15I think I have to be honest with you, it's an extremely difficult group with Germany who
45:20are always one of the favourites for the title and the others, the United States and
45:24Ghana, who also have great teams.
45:27That's why I think it is a difficult group.
45:29Portugal came through the playoffs after the qualification for the World Cup, so there's
45:34a good chance that they could be the dark horses of the World Cup.
45:37I think in our group, Russia, it will be more constant than us.
45:44They play better and we drop, not in a few moments, points that we should not lose.
45:56But it's the past, we played the playoffs, it was good for us.
46:01We win both games, we play very, very good.
46:04And the goal is good because we win and we are already in World Cup.
46:12While Messi's Group F is a bit less daunting going up against Iran, Nigeria and Bosnia and
46:16Herzegovina, who they meet after this round may be the real challenge.
46:21After all, never dismiss England.
46:23Premier League favourites, such as Arsenal's Jack Wilshere, hope to surprise fans back
46:28home and around the world.
46:30Many critics believe that for Messi and Ronaldo to establish themselves as two of the game's
46:35all-time bests, they will have to win.
46:38It's important, all competitions are important and this one is a special one because it was
46:45in Brazil.
46:46We'll be in Brazil.
46:47For us, Portuguese country, it's very important because we have history with Brazil, the culture,
46:57and we speak the same language.
46:59So it's fantastic, we are so proud to be part of this big event.
47:04I think Cristiano's chances of becoming a legend this World Cup will unfortunately not be solely
47:11determined by him and him alone.
47:13It will depend on how the team as a whole performs.
47:17If he can do that again, then he will earn that legend status and rightly so, if he could take
47:25Portugal through to win the World Cup.
47:27Portuguese is the same language.
47:29We have a lot of Portuguese there and we are very happy for that.
47:35We try to enjoy the World Cup, it's the main competition for national teams, so we try to enjoy.
47:46In addition to any pressure placed on the players, the host country had its own set of issues
47:49to sort through.
47:50Though Brazil was excited about hosting the World Cup, the cost of the event, with the
47:55massive security to not only protect the players but the fans as well, the stadium construction
48:00costs, well over three billion dollars.
48:03Regardless countries heavily vied for the chance of becoming the host country, England sent
48:07its own football legend and a future king to seal the deal, but to no avail.
48:12Even after winning the bid, but years before the actual event, problems arise, as in the
48:17case of Qatar.
48:18However, with Pelé as the face of Brazil's World Cup event, this one is sure to become
48:24an event for the record books.
48:25It was a surprise to everyone, what happened in Brazil.
48:30Because this is a political problem.
48:34Because I mentioned about the football, this is the biggest promotion of the Brazilian country.
48:43And when you have events like World Cup, like the Confederation Cup, you have Olympics, you
48:55know, then I think everybody should be together.
48:59But this is a political problem.
49:01We have there, but no doubt, no doubt, the World Cup will be fantastic.
49:062014 was the start of an important year, kicking off with a coveted awards nomination.
49:11Cristiano was nominated for the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award.
49:16The Laureus World Sports Awards represents a very high standard of sport and all of our
49:23nominees each year have achieved at the very highest level.
49:27The athletes who have won this award in the past are always very, very thankful and appreciative
49:33of the academy and us as athletes ourselves having recognized their performances.
49:38The Laureus Awards acknowledge the most remarkable male and female athletes from the previous year.
49:43It is one of, if not the most prestigious awards in all of sports.
49:47He'll get it, really.
49:50I don't know, but I think he'll get it.
49:52Messi has already been there two or three times, I think.
49:56But last year in particular, Ronaldo was sensational.
49:59I feel very, very proud for that, to be NUME8 with these great sports and all the sports,
50:04athletics and Formula One, and for me it's great.
50:10And I think it's my first time NUME8, the second time for the Laureus, and it's a big pleasure.
50:17Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and IWC Schaffhausen, the charity's first patron was the late, great
50:22Nelson Mandela.
50:23Well, it means a lot, you know, Nelson Mandela, it was the man going to be in our heart for
50:30all life.
50:31I had the opportunity to meet him in his house.
50:35He had a big family, you know, everyone, everyone there, his nephews and nephews, no?
50:42Yeah, we say nephews.
50:44Nephews and all the family.
50:45It was an amazing moment for me, and I have the opportunity to speak with him a little
50:51bit.
50:52You know, he was a little bit sick, but we had a little conversation.
50:58It was amazing.
50:59It was a very, very special day for me.
51:00A footballer's never won Sportsman of the Year, but Sir Bobby Charlton was a fitting recipient
51:05of the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
51:08Charlton was one of the most famous Englishmen of his age.
51:12He survived the Munich air disaster, which caused the tragic deaths of 23 of his Manchester
51:17United teammates.
51:18I'm taking it well.
51:19Look at her while you're doing it.
51:20She hasn't been down to see me, you know, but to be a long way and I'm all right.
51:24I know.
51:25It could have been a bit worse off like some of the others.
51:27Charlton became the face of the club during the rebuilding efforts, and led England to
51:31a World Cup victory in 1966, plus winning the Euro Cup with Manchester United in 1968.
51:40Charlton has served as director of the Red Devils since 1984, and is a respected ambassador
51:45for his club and the game of football.
51:50A legend in his own right, Ronaldo was nominated for the award for good reason.
51:54He scored a career best of 69 goals.
51:57He carried Portugal into the World Cup, scoring an incredible hat-trick in the qualifying.
52:02And Ronaldo finally bested Lionel Messi, winning the FIFA Pallon d'Or.
52:06A lot of what we see now is the rewards you can get for being a very good footballer.
52:12We don't actually see the fact that the reason you start playing football in the very first
52:16place is because you're the same as every other kid or person in a park or a yard and
52:23you kick a ball because you enjoy it.
52:25And while you do that and you get paid for it, it's the greatest thing in the world.
52:29Although Formula One race car driver Sebastian Vettel walked away with the Lourdes Trophy,
52:34Ronaldo was in pretty select company.
52:37Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Ronaldo's impact on the sport is immense.
52:43He moves the needle.
52:44Whether you're cheering his every goal or cursing his name, he triggers a reaction.
52:49He's one of the faces of the game, and that face will once again be placed under the microscope
52:54in Brazil, where the game's best and brightest will compete in front of 700 million viewers.
53:00I think it's all World Cups, it's important, all competitions, it's important.
53:04And this one is a special one because it was in Brazil, will be in Brazil.
53:11For us, Portuguese country, it's very important because, you know, we have history with Brazil,
53:18the culture, and we speak the same language.
53:23So it's fantastic, we are so proud to be part of this big event.
53:29All eyes will be on the likes of Nima, who will have the pressure of representing his home
53:32country, Brazil, with Chelsea favourite David Luiz as a teammate.
53:37We know everybody always likes to talk about Brazil.
53:40Brazil has always been producing great results through the years.
53:43We've won five titles, so it's natural people always talk about us, but Brazil is Brazil.
53:48In the World Cup, questions are answered, and the pressure to perform is nothing short
53:52of daunting.
53:53Once you reach a World Cup, there's, you know, anything can happen.
53:57To play at the World Cup is an honour, and one that players take incredibly seriously.
54:11The pressure of playing for your country is much greater than playing for your club.
54:16For the simple reason that you've got, you're not only pleasing one set of supporters, you're
54:20trying to please the whole, obviously the whole country, and that, hence, there's pressure
54:26with that in that respect.
54:27And you've also got the pressure of trying to make people understand and believe that you
54:32should be there, possibly in front of their own favourite player that plays for their club.
54:36Everyone always thinks their nose better.
54:38And certainly don't underestimate the lads from the British Isles, as the England team
54:42is comprised of some of the best players in the Premier League.
54:45It's probably two of the biggest games for years, certainly, which I've played for England,
54:50in terms of importance and, you know, having to win to be successful.
54:56One thing is certain, millions around the world always gravitate towards this illustrious
55:01event.
55:02For Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Rooney, Ribéry, and many other giants of the sport, this is the
55:09place to be part of their legacy, in this, the most beautiful of games.
55:14We're excited.
55:15We deserve to win 100%.
55:17And only time will tell if their work is indeed a masterpiece.
55:29But just a single person, when it comes, we're thaity of death.
55:39Let's all pray.
55:40Love you.
55:42Stop going on, puts all your feet away,
55:44and you only can't see them well with that.
55:46To every that, reproach.
55:48Walk it out of, grab it and give us something a love.
55:51ум.
55:52This taking place will enjoy all the future.
55:54Transcription by CastingWords
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