Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on February 5, 1985, in Madeira, Portugal, is one of the greatest and most decorated footballers in history. Over his legendary career, he has played for top clubs including Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Al Nassr. He has won 5 Ballon d'Or awards, 5 UEFA Champions League titles, and led Portugal to victory in Euro 2016. Today, he stands as the all-time top goalscorer in international football and a global sports icon.
In April
2026, Sportico ranked Ronaldo as the third highest-paid athlete in history,
behind Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, with his income estimated at $2.52
billion. He has also been included in Sportico's every annual ranking of the
highest-paid athletes: he was named the third highest-paid athlete of 2021
($120 million) and 2022 ($115 million) and the highest-paid athlete of 2023
($275 million), 2024 ($260 million) and 2025 ($260 million).
Karina Ferro
is a Portuguese fashion model who gained public attention as Cristiano
Ronaldo’s first serious girlfriend. Born in Portugal and being around the same
age as the football star, she was focused on pursuing her early career in the
fashion and modeling industry during the early 2000s. Now she is dating the famous actor
and singer Angelico Vieira, since 2009.
 |
| Karina Ferro and Angelico Vieira |
The couple first met in 2002 in Lisbon, Portugal, when Cristiano Ronaldo was only 17 years old and playing for Sporting CP. At the time, both were teenagers starting their careers; Ronaldo was a rising football talent living in the club's academy, while Karina was working as a young model in the city. They crossed paths through mutual social circles in the Portuguese capital, starting a quiet romance just months before Ronaldo's historic move to Manchester United changed his life forever.
 |
| Cristiano and Karina |
The relationship came to an end shortly after Cristiano Ronaldo's historic transfer to Manchester United in 2003. The sudden explosion of global fame, combined with the long distance between England and Portugal, put a massive strain on the young couple. Additionally, the intense and non-stop media scrutiny from the British paparazzi made it difficult to maintain a private life, leading them to mutually and quietly separate as Ronaldo focused entirely on his football career.
Read more: How Lionel Messi and Antonela first met with pics
Following his split from Karina, Cristiano Ronaldo's dating life became a major focus for global media as his fame reached unprecedented levels. In 2010, he started a highly publicized, five-year relationship with Russian supermodel Irina Shayk. Today, Ronaldo is in a long-term, settled relationship with Spanish model Georgina Rodríguez, whom he met in 2016 and shares a family with.
 |
| Cristiano and Georgina |