At the age of 39, Cristiano Ronaldo remains at the center of the soccer world, even now that he is playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. With an enviable career path trailed in iconic clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, the Portuguese star recently hit a historic milestone: 900 career goals. A number that not only echoes in stadiums but also in the history of soccer, since he is the only player to reach this mark. What's even more incredible is how Ronaldo has continued to be relevant, an influence that's grown across digital platforms both on and off the field.
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Cristiano Ronaldo's digital revolution
Of late, Ronaldo has shown that his flexibility is not confined to soccer. Alongside shining on the Saudi fields, the superstar entered new turf by rolling out his personal social media channel. At the tail end of August, he launched "UR - Cristiano," which hit astronomical proportions barely a month later with an astonishing 60 million followers.
He shares experiences, tips, and stories on his channel, and an example can be seen in the video he did, not too long ago, with Rio Ferdinand. In it, he reflected on the time spent with Real Madrid. Apart from historical moments, Ronaldo spoke about the ones currently happening around soccer, including the addition of Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid.
With an eye, keen and honed through years of being at the top, Ronaldo said, "Mbappé might win the Ballon d'Or in the next few years." Actually, coming from a living legend, it started to create a bone-deep conviction that the Frenchman was among the leaders to rule the world of football.
Cristiano's vision of the future: new heroes on the horizon
If there's one thing Ronaldo never misses, it's noticing talent. Along with Mbappé, he referred to other rising stars like Haaland (Manchester City), Bellingham (Real Madrid), and young Lamine Yamal (Barcelona). At an age of 17 years, the latter has already had a few gasp and swoon at his performance on the pitch. "He, Haaland, Bellingham, Lamine. I think this generation has a lot of potential," Ronaldo said, proving his sharp eye for talent doesn't stop at his career.
What Ronaldo is doing, rather subtly, is to serve notice: a new era is unfolding. Talents like Mbappé and Haaland are cementing their status as the next iconic superheroes of soccer. Yet he also reminds us that the sport is one that never ceases to amaze. Lamine Yamal's name may have hardly featured on the radar of many, but not to Ronaldo, who believes this young forward has what it takes to become one of the greats.
Further, Ronaldo's vision for modern soccer shows that he is not stuck in the past. He recognizes the genius of the new generation and so to say plays the role of mentor from afar, giving a seal of approval to players like Mbappé and Yamal. And when a legend like Cristiano Ronaldo says you have got potential, well, people take notice. It's a powerful endorsement which might change careers and perspectives.