Born on February 5, 1985, Cristiano entered the world just a month after Ronald Reagan began his second term as President of the United States. ..Continue Reading
Reagan, who had a career as a Hollywood actor before entering politics, appeared in films such as Dark Victory, All-American, and Kings Row. Ronaldo’s father, José Dinis Aveiro, and his mother, Maria Dolores Aveiro, held great admiration for him.
Speaking in an interview with GQ, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo said: “My parents named me after him because they both liked this name and thought it sounded strong. I know that my father admired him.”
Fernao Barros Sousa, a former teammate of Ronaldo’s father at the Madeira-based club Andorinha, revealed that Ronaldo’s mother was an admirer of Ronald Reagan.
Sousa brought up Maria Dolores Aveiro’s fondness for Reagan while reflecting on Ronaldo’s baptism.
“That day, Andorinha were playing in Ribera Brava, so I was going there, Dinis as well, and we arrived much later at the baptism, so late that the priest didn’t want to baptise him!” he told GOAL.
“We had to convince the priest to baptise him and that’s what happened.”
He added: “There are stories from his mother that the name is because of Ronald Reagan, who was president of the USA at that time. His mother liked him and it seems that’s why they gave him the name Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Here’s how supporters on social media reacted to the story around Ronaldo’s name.
One said: “The fact that Cristiano Ronaldo is named after Ronald Reagan haunts me,” while another wrote: “This came up in a trivia game tonight and I’m absolutely shook.”
A third wrote: “Cristiano Ronaldo being named after Ronald Reagan is so odd lmfao.”
A fourth added: “Bro why does nobody talk about how Ronaldo is named after Ronald Reagan.”
