Today in Sports History: October 3

In 2012, Portuguese soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo, scored his first Champions League hat-trick in Real Madrid’s 4-1 win against Ajax in Amsterdam. 

Ronaldo started playing professional soccer at age 17 in 2002 for Sporting CP and was then traded to Manchester United in 2003 until 2009. He was then traded to Real Madrid until 2018 when he was then traded to Juventus until 2021. Currently, he plays for Manchester United – where he just got traded recently – as a forward. 

Thus far through 20 seasons, he has played a total of 636 matches, started 568 times, and played a total of 51,147 minutes. He has scored 491 goals, had 138 assists, and scored 97 penalty kicks. 

He was awarded the France Football Ballon D’Or in 2008, 2016, and 2017 and the FIFA Ballon d’Or in 2013 and 2014. He was awarded the FIFA World Player in 2008, and The Best FIFA Men’s Player in 2016 and 2017. He was also awarded the UEFA Best Player in Europe in 2014, 2016, and 2017, and was a 10-time Footballer of the Year.

He was awarded a one-time European Champion, five-time Champions League Winner, five-time Golden Boot Winner, four-time FIFA Club World Cup Winner, three-time English Champion, two-time Spanish Champion, one-time Italian Cup Winner, two-time Italian Super Cup Winner, two-time Italian Champion, two-time English League Cup Winner, 10-time Footballer of the Year, two-time Striker of the Year, 19-time Top Scorer, five-time Player of the Year, and two-time Player of the Season.

Ronaldo also has been playing for Team Portugal in the World Cup Tournaments since 2002. Although he has never won a World Cup Tournament, there is still time to win at his age.