A few non-football facts about Cristiano Ronaldo

Many consider Cristiano Ronaldo to be the best football player in the world. He is renowned for his professional approach to sports, as well as multiple spectacular team achievements and plenty of personal awards.

His records on the pitch are well-known to fans and experts, and some of these surprising facts are not even related to football. 

 

Fragile heart

It’s hard to imagine a more hard-working professional in today’s football than Ronaldo. With his physical excellence and attention to detail, he looks like somebody from out of this world. We almost don’t perceive him as a human being - not a regular one, at least. Indeed, we wouldn’t expect the Portuguese player to suffer from anything not caused by direct injury, let alone something more serious. For many years now, he has been treating his body like a temple, which can be credited with maintaining his high level of physical fitness and ability to perform at a peak level at all times.

If not for a fortunate turns of events, however, we would not have been able to witness this fantastic footballer at work. When Cristiano was just 15 years old, he was diagnosed with a racing heart. Untreated, it could have potentially resulted in more severe illnesses such as tachycardia, and ultimately, led to an untimely end of a promising career. Fortunately, the condition was managed by laser surgery, and just a few days later, the teenager recovered and was fit to go back to practice.

 

Poker hand

The thrill of competing on the highest level in the world’s most popular team sport can hardly compare to anything else. But you can’t always be playing football and may be inclined to look for excitement elsewhere. Many representatives of different disciplines find this alternative occupation in the game of poker, and Cristiano Ronaldo is one of them.

There is no shortage of quality poker websites where you can play for real money, and where you can face strong opponents in order to achieve significant wins. Cristiano himself surely does not settle for anything less than a superior experience. Back in the day, he worked as an ambassador for one of the biggest companies on the market and has been pursuing poker as a hobby ever since. It’s probably safe to assume that he wouldn’t spend every waking hour at the table or in front of a computer screen, due to his successful and on-going professional football career. Perhaps after he decides to retire, he will have more time to explore this path.

 

Charitable nature

The lists of Ronaldo’s charitable deeds and numbers of donations are probably just as long as his football records. He is not insensitive to suffering and social injustice, so he often devotes a portion of his considerable earnings to various charity causes. He was even named the world’s most charitable sportsperson by the website dosomething.org in 2015. He was reported that year to have donated £5 million to support Nepal after the devastating earthquake hit the country. Often reminded by his own rise to the top, he feels the need to help others ease their way up. Not only to make their professional goals easier to achieve, but also simply to make their lives more comfortable. Being well-aware of his vast popularity and recognizable brand, Cristiano doesn’t forget about his fans. He patiently signs autographs and gives away his matchday jerseys, shoes, and other future football memorabilia.

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous individuals in football and sports in general. In this world, fans share their sympathies and antipathies. Just like any other person, he is a complex personality, on and off the pitch. But regardless of what one thinks about the Portuguese player, it has to be acknowledged that he does far more for others than he is usually given credit for.