Roots of Cristiano Ronaldo

1: A panorama from the top of Madeira Island, overlooking the ground of CF Andorinha. 2: The best of Cristiano Ronaldo's football skills originated from the street. This street is right in front of the house where he was brought up. This is where his football career began. He used to play football on this rough slope. And he was always playing until late so that his mother or sisters often had to come out and call him back home. 3: Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Madeira Island, Portugal on 5 February 1985. He grew up in San Antonio, which is a fairly poor area in the island. Where the weeds (foreground) are is where the house he was brought up used to be. After he came to fame, although no one had lived there for a long time, so many tourists and journalists from all over the world started coming to visit that in 2007 the city council decided to demolish it. 4: Clemente, a cab driver for more than 30 years in Madeira, has never lived anywhere else than San Antonio where Cristiano Ronaldo was born and brought up. "When Ronaldo was little, every day I was getting to see him play football here and there in San Antonio." said Clemente. 5: Kids playing football in San Antonio, Madeira. All the kids in Madeira are proud of Cristiano Ronaldo, admire him and dream to be like him. 6: This is the ground of Cristiano Ronaldo's very first football team, CF Andorinha, where he played from 1993 to 1995. Ronaldo's influence is on every kid in the island as well as their families. Under 6 years old only, the team now has over 200 kids. 7: The team office of CF Andorinha. Cristiano Ronaldo's father Denis, who died in 2005, used to work as their groundskeeper. He was said to be an alcoholic and not a very good father, but always encouraged his son, and would bring cake home when his son scored. 8: Cristiano Ronaldo's godfather, Jose Fernao Barros de Sousa, stands in front of San Antonio Church where he baptized Ronaldo. Jose Fernao was once a professional football player for C.D. Nacional. After he left C.D. Nacional, he played for Andorinha. That is where he met Ronaldo's father Denis. After he retired, he worked as a scout for junior players for C.D. Nacional. Once he was told that there was a super junior player in Andorinha and was sent to check him out. The boy turned out to be Ronaldo. That was 10 years after Jose Fernao had baptized him. 9: Joao Manuel Gris Teixeira, who prefers to be recognized as a Madeirense rather than a Portuguese, is the vice-chairman of C.D. Nacional. Cristiano Ronaldo played for the team from 1995 to 1997. 10: Pedro Talhinhas, a football coach for C.D. Nacional. He says "Ronaldo hates to compromise and give up. That is why he cries when he loses. Seeing him cry on TV when he loses a big match reminds me of his childhood. Nothing has changed." 11: Photos of Cristiano Ronaldo are printed on the wooden walls of the gym of C.D. Nacional. The team now has a newly built stadium, accommodations for players and a practice pitch called 'Cristiano Ronaldo Campus'. 12: Aurelio Pereira, the chief scout of Sporting CP (Lisbon), where Cristiano Ronaldo played from 1997 to 2001. Ronaldo left Madeira Island and came to Lisbon for an entry test to Sporting CP when he was 12. Normally only players who are 14 years old or over are eligible. His skills were more than good enough to make Aurelio convince the top of the team that he would definitely be worth the money. 13: Paulo Cardoso, a scout and coach for Sporting CP. He recalls "Ronaldo was not only physically great but also had great mental strength. During the entry test match, Ronaldo was relaxed enough to make other players at ease." 14: Elma Aveiro, the oldest sister of Cristiano Ronaldo, in her Boutique in Madeira. The boutique is called 'CR7' which stands for 'Cristiano Ronaldo Number 7'. She is eleven years older than Ronaldo. While both their parents had to work all the time, she was looking after Ronaldo like his mother. After he started earning a lot of money, he asked Elma what she would like to do for a living. She told him that she was always interested in fashion and her dream was to own a boutique. Ronaldo made her dream come true. 15: Jose Dinis Pereira Aveiro, Cristiano Ronaldo's father. He died of chronic liver disease on 06 September 2005. 16: Maria Dolores Aveiro, Cristiano Ronaldo's mother. "I went through tough times in the past. But now, I can proudly say that I am the happiest mother in the world."