RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated reaching another milestone in his career on Friday, this time off the pitch, as the Al-Nassr star said he now has a billion followers across social media channels.
The Portuguese striker took to social media to thank his fans who made it possible.
“We’ve made history — 1 BILLION followers! This is more than just a number - it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” he wrote.
The Al-Nassr captain said he has always appreciated those who supported him during his rise to stardom.
“From the streets of Madeira to the biggest stages in the world, I’ve always played for my family and for you, and now 1 billion of us stand together.”
He shared a collage of photos depicting his career with clubs such as Manchester United, Juventus, Real Madrid, and his current side Al-Nassr. But the biggest image is that of the legend wearing the iconic ruby red jersey of Portugal, who he led to a European championship win in 2016. The artwork also includes his family and selfies with fans over the years.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows,” Ronaldo wrote. “This journey is our journey, and together, we’ve shown that there are no limits to what we can achieve.”
The player has 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook, and 113 million on X, formally known as Twitter, and 60 million on the video platform YouTube. He also has another 9 million on the Chinese network Weibo and has a presence on Kuaishou.
In August, the star shattered the YouTube record for the fastest-growing channel, achieving a milestone just hours after its launch.
“Thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life. The best is yet to come, and we’ll keep pushing, winning, and making history together,” he wrote.
In another remarkable milestone, Ronaldo became the first player in football history to score 900 goals, for club and country combined. The player achieved the feat a week ago with a tap-in against Croatia playing in the Nations League.
The footballing legend moved to Saudi Arabia in 2022 and has made even more fans in the Kingdom after his transfer to the Riyadh-based Al-Nassr, who have embraced him as one of their own.
He broke the record for the number of goals scored in a season by a player in Saudi Arabia’s top league, netting 35 in the 2023/2024 contest.
