Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's highest-paid athlete: 10 interesting facts about the Portugal star

Cristiano Ronaldo plays as a forward for the Portugal national team. He began his senior club career with for Sporting CP and in 2003, he was transferred to Manchester United.

In 2009, he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer worth £80 million.

Ronaldo was ranked the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2016 and 2017.

In 2008, he was given the responsibility of captaincy and led Portugal to their first-ever triumph in a major tournament by winning Euro 2016 against France. Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2018, here are some interesting facts about Ronaldo:

1. At the age of 15, Ronaldo was diagnosed with a racing heart, a condition that might have forced him to give up playing football. Although, he had an operation that used a laser to cauterize the area of his heart that caused the problem.

2. Ronaldo was named after former US President, Ronald Reagan, who was greatly admired by Ronaldo’s father. His full name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro.

3. He does not drink alcohol because it reminds him of the death of his father, who dies due to an overdose of alcohol.

4.He paid for the cancer treatment of a nine-year-old boy, and regularly donates blood, which is the reason he does not have tattoos.

5. His freekick speed is around 130 kilometers an hour, which means 31.1 meters per second.

6.That's massive! He lifts around 23,055 kg of weight during a training session.

7. Ronaldo signed to Manchester United in 2003 at the young age of 18 and became the franchises first ever Portugal's player. "We've had some fantastic No. 7s, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham, some wouldn't want that jersey but his confidence was high even at 18. When he made his debut as substitute against Bolton he took the place by storm," said Sir Alex Ferguson as he handed Ronaldo the No. 7 Shirt.

8. Ronaldo has a fashion boutique named "CR7" based out of his hometown, Madeira, Portugal.

9. In June 2010 Ronaldo became the fourth footballer to be represented at Madame Tussauds waxwork in London and in 2007 his autobiography, Moments, was published.

10. Henever revealed who the mother of his elder son Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.