Cristiano Ronaldo’s boyhood club, Sporting Lisbon has named their football academy after the superstar.
Ronaldo came through Sporting’s youth ranks before joining the senior team where he played for one season.
The forward played his first match for Lisbon in 2002 then joined Manchester United in 2003, Real Madrid in 2009, and Juventus in 2018.
All through the 35-year-old career, he has won numerous club trophies and individual awards.
Ronaldo also has helped the Portugal national team win two international trophies, the European Championship and Nations League.
Lisbon believes its decision to immortalize Ronaldo would serve as an inspiration to young players who want to follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps.
“The Academy will thus immortalize the name of the greatest symbol it ever produced and that will be an inspiration to follow for all the younger talents,” the 18-time Portuguese champions said in a statement.
“The Academia Cristiano Ronaldo will represent Sporting’s DNA in its excellence and will follow the destinies of the one that now gives it its name: to be the best in the world,” they added.
