GOAL 50
Cristiano Ronaldo's godfather has told Goal that the Real Madrid superstar was named after former president of the United States, Ronald Reagan.
The Portugal captain was born on February 5, 1985, just a month after actor-turned-politician Reagan had been sworn in for his second term in the White House.
At the time, Fernao Barros Sousa was playing alongside Ronaldo's father, Jose Dinis Aveiro, at Madeira-based club Andorinha and was asked to be the godfather to his friend's new-born baby.
However, Sousa explains in Goal's upcoming documentary 'Cristiano Ronaldo: The Making Of' that the baptism was very nearly called off - and not because the future European champion was to be named after Reagan!
"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 reveals.
"We had to convince the priest to baptise him and that’s what happened.
"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."
Watch the full documentary of 'Cristiano Ronaldo: The Making Of' on Friday, exclusively on Goal, as we visit the island of Madeira where the Portuguese legend grew up - interviewing family, friends, former youth team-mates, agents and many more figures.