Now, a rare childhood photo of the boy who would grow up to be one of the most famous faces on the planet is going viral.
Can you spot the kid behind that unforgettable smile?
His mom tried to induce miscarriage
The house where he grew up has been reduced to rubble, and the dusty lot where he took his first steps is unrecognizable.
One fan wrote, “Can’t believe this was him as a child,” while another joked, “He grew up to be the heart of the entire world.”
Named after Ronald Reagan
So, who are we talking about? None other than football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40 years old.
Born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, Ronaldo grew up in a modest household and was even partly named after Ronald Reagan, his father’s favorite actor. But the symbolic name didn’t reflect a close relationship, far from it. His alcoholic father never got to see him become a superstar.
“I really don’t know my father 100 per cent. He was a drunk person. I never spoke with him, like a normal conversation. It was hard.”
Ronaldo’s challenging journey to the very top of football is well documented. At just 12 years old, he left his childhood home in Madeira to pursue his dream on the mainland.
Ronaldo had a tough time as a student. While living in the Lisbon area, away from his family in Madeira, he didn’t go beyond 6th grade. He was popular with classmates, but he got expelled after throwing a chair at a teacher who he felt had disrespected him. As a child, he had trouble controlling his temper.
Almost forced to quit
A serious heart issue also threatened to derail his dream. He had heart surgery where a laser was used to merge multiple cardiac pathways into one. But Ronaldo recovered and pushed forward, turning every setback into a lesson in resilience.
His determination and drive would carry him across top leagues, where he shattered goal records, won trophies, and became a symbol of relentless ambition.
Millions of fans worldwide cheered as his face became synonymous not just with sporting excellence, but with perseverance and reinvention. Behind every superstar, they realized, was once a little boy brimming with potential.
He began his professional career with Sporting CP before making a breakthrough at Manchester United in 2003. His flair, speed, and work ethic quickly propelled him to global fame. Later, his transfer to Real Madrid shattered records and cemented his reputation as a goal-scoring machine.
On the international stage, Ronaldo has represented Portugal with distinction, earning over 220 caps and scoring over 140 goals. Along the way, he has collected numerous individual accolades, including multiple Ballon d’Or awards, and in 2024 became the first male player in history to score 900 official career goals.
The highest-paid athlete five times
Today, Ronaldo is not just a football legend — he’s one of the world’s most marketable and recognizable athletes. Forbes has named him the highest-paid athlete five times, while ESPN ranked him the most famous athlete globally from 2016 to 2019.
In 2014, Time included him in their list of the 100 most influential people in the world. On social media, he reigns supreme, boasting over 1 billion followers across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, making him the first person ever to reach that milestone.