Cristiano Ronaldo

Born in 1985 on a small island off the western coast of Portugal, Ronaldo overcame an economically challenging upbringing to ascend to professional football stardom. He demonstrated exceptional talent at an early age, earning a spot on the Manchester United roster when he was only eighteen. Over his two-decade career, Ronaldo has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or (Golden Boot) five times and distinguished himself as one of the top scorers in the history of the sport.

Even as he has achieved personal glory, Ronaldo has remained focused on helping others, crediting his father for instilling the value of generosity in him. "My father always taught me that when you help other people, then God will give you double," a 2015 story in the Telegraph quoted him as saying. Although Ronaldo’s father died before his son reached the prime of his career, his counsel continued to guide his charitable activities.

Ronaldo has made a point of translating his individual achievements into acts of giving. In 2011 he auctioned off his European Golden Boot award for £1.2 million, dedicating the proceeds to relief efforts in Gaza. In 2017, he sold his 2013 Ballon d’Or trophy at a Make-A-Wish Foundation auction, raising £530,000 for the organization. On other occasions Ronaldo has donated his championship bonuses to Save the Children, UNICEF and other charitable arms. In 2020, Ronaldo donated over £1 million to Portuguese hospitals to help Covid-19 patients.

In addition to his formal giving, Ronaldo has also extended himself personally to individual children, seeking to bring them joy and express his compassion. One such child was Nuhazet Guillen, a boy battling terminal cancer. Ronaldo spent time with Guillen on numerous occasions and invited the boy to watch him play from a private box at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The star forward also paid for Guillen to undergo experimental treatment in the United States and continued to cover his medical bills until the boy passed away in 2013.

Ronaldo has dedicated his fame to the greater good. He has committed a considerable portion of his lifetime earnings to philanthropic causes, while using his popularity to increase awareness of various urgent issues. More than anything, he represents the power of a single individual to exert an outsized positive impact on the world.

Contributors: Maha Tazi, Stephen Meyer, Stephen Meyer