Nov 28, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo (7) moves the ball against Uruguay during the second half of the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium.

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UEFA Nations League Final: Looking Back at Cristiano Ronaldo’s Fatal Diagnosis That Almost Ended His Career

Ronaldo and Portugal will face Spain in the Nations League 2025 final.

Nov 28, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo (7) moves the ball against Uruguay during the second half of the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium.

Even at the age of 40, Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the vital cogs of the Portugal setup. Ahead of the 2025 UEFA Nations League final vs Spain, the legendary forward will be keen to guide his side to another piece of international silverware. Ronaldo has scored in each of his last three appearances for club and country – can he continue this rich vein of form against Luis de la Fuente’s men?

There is no doubt that Portugal is one of the favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Ever since former manager Fernando Santos left him out of the XI in their 2022 World Cup elimination at the hands of Morocco, the veteran has undergone a renaissance under Roberto Martinez. With a stacked midfield involving Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha and Neves around him, the attacker’s work has gotten much easier.

Moreover, Ronaldo has the fortune of brilliant players to feed him with quality deliveries – the likes of Pedro Neto, Rafael Leao, Nuno Mendes and Francisco Conceicao provide great assistance to the former Manchester United striker. Although some might argue that he has faded with age, the 40-year-old continues to prove that class is permanent.

There was a time, however, when Ronaldo almost had to quit the sport. Things were not always as rosy and bright for one of the finest players of our time – and it could have cut short a career that scriptwriters dream of illustrating.

What Was Ronaldo Diagnosed With at 15?

At the young age of 15, Cristiano Ronaldo was diagnosed with tachycardia. It is a heart condition wherein the person’s heart rate is too fast. For a normal adult, more than 100 heart beats per minute is considered extremely fast. Although there is necessary treatment available for the condition, experts suggest that it increases the chances of cardiac arrest, stroke, and occasionally even death.

Years ago, Ronaldo’s mother Dolores Aveiro revealed in an interview with Daily Mail that her son survived a challenging surgery. “His heart raced a lot when he wasn’t running,” she said. “They used a sort of laser to cauterise the source of the problem. He was operated on in the morning and came out at the end of the afternoon.”

While such a process could have put his career under threat, the Portuguese magician was back in training just a few days after being treated.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Rise as One of the Greatest Footballers

After spending his blooming years at Sporting Clube de Portugal in Lisbon, CR7 made a historic move to English Premier League side Manchester United in 2003. Under the mentorship of Alex Ferguson, the pacy attacker instilled fear in the minds of defensive savants of the game. ‘Ronny’ won the FA Cup in his first season at the club, and proceeded to capture the UEFA Champions League and a hat-trick of Premier League championships in the years to come. In 2008, Ronaldo won his maiden Ballon d’Or at the age of 23.

In 2009, Madeira’s one and only signed for Spanish giants Real Madrid in the then-most expensive European transfer. Scoring 311 goals during his decade-long stint with Los Blancos, Ronaldo won two La Liga titles, four Champions League trophies and four Ballon d’Or awards. When he made a massive switch to Juventus in 2018 after an alleged fallout with the management, the legend left as Madrid’s top goalscorer.

Never forget Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League record with Real Madrid:

🏟️ 101 games
⚽ 105 goals
🅰️ 28 assists pic.twitter.com/Og9O4QPobo
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 31, 2025

Discipline, hard work and a clutch mentality define what Cristiano Ronaldo stands for. They are the hallmarks of his greatness, and it continued to show during his time back at Manchester United as well as with Saudi Pro League setup Al-Nassr. As the great Peter Drury said, he is nothing but “a walking work of art!”

Cristiano Ronaldo

FC Barcelona

Juventus

Lionel Messi

Manchester United

Portugal

Real Madrid

Soccer

Spain

UEFA Nations League

Sankalp Harikrishnan

A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.