Cristiano Ronaldo Academy: Sporting rename club academy after Portuguese icon

Before Cristiano Ronaldo made it big at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, he was just a scrawny young winger from Portugal aiming to be one of the best in the world. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner burst onto the scene at Sporting Lisbon, ultimately developing into one of the finest players in world football. In due diligence with his exploits, Sporting have now paid tribute to the 35-year-old, naming their youth setup the 'Cristiano Ronaldo Academy'.

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Cristiano Ronaldo youth club Sporting Lisbon unveil  Cristiano Ronaldo Academy 

Sporting Lisbon honoured their most famous graduate and 'the best player in the world' after renaming their academy the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy. In a club statement, the Portuguese giants confirmed the name change to honour their former player, who became the best Portuguese player of all time and was awarded five Ballons d'Or. Sporting Lisbon said that the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy will represent the club's excellence and will urge players to be the best in world football. Sporting Lisbon stated that the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy will immortalise 'the name of the greatest symbol ever formed' and will serve as an inspiration for the next generation of footballers. 

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Cristiano Ronaldo joined Sporting Lisbon as a 12-year-old in 1997 from CD Funchal, based in his hometown of Funchal, Madeira. During his time in Lisbon, Ronaldo became the first player to play in the club's Under-16, U17, U18, B and first teams in a single season and made his senior debut against Inter Milan in 2002. He scored twice on his league debut, with Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal all interested in signing the Portuguese sensation. However, it was a phone call from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson that sealed the deal, and the youngster embarked on a journey to stardom in England.

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Since leaving Sporting Lisbon for £12.24 million in 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo has won seven league titles and five Champions Leagues, along with five Ballon d'Or wins. Sporting announced that a special ceremony to commemorate the Cristiano Ronaldo academy would take place after COVID-19 restrictions in Portugal are eased. The club also plans to recognise other famous alumni other than Ronaldo and will name training camps after them. While Sporting are yet to release a list, one can expect the likes of Luis Figo, Ricardo Quaresma, Nani and Joao Moutinho to feature. 

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(Image Courtesy: Sporting Lisbon Twitter)