"In July 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Dublin as the most talked about footballer in the world. In the 16 years that have followed, and even as he starts to talk openly of retirement, it is remarkable how little has changed. Then, the Portuguese superstar was in town to make his Real Madrid debut in the somewhat incongruous surrounds of Shamrock Rovers' Tallaght Stadium."
"On Thursday, some eight miles across the city at Aviva Stadium, he will look to ensure another significant milestone by securing qualification for the sixth World Cup of his career in North America next summer, which he has now confirmed will be his last. That bow in the famous white shirt came months after he was awarded the first of his five Ballons d'Or."
In July 2009 Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Dublin and made his Real Madrid debut at Shamrock Rovers' Tallaght Stadium. Sixteen years later he remains a headline-maker and will seek qualification for the sixth World Cup of his career at Aviva Stadium, a tournament he has confirmed will be his last. He won the first of five Ballons d'Or before that debut, and although younger players such as Ousmane Dembele, Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal have emerged, Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominated the award for over a decade. High-profile media appearances continue to amplify his profile, mirroring longevity shown by LeBron James and Novak Djokovic.
Read at www.bbc.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]