He grew up on a tiny, windswept island in the middle of the Atlantic — and a sudden heart scare nearly derailed his dreams.

Now, a rare childhood photo of the boy who would grow up to be one of the most famous faces on the planet is going viral.

His mom tried to induce miscarriage
The house where he grew up has been reduced to rubble, and the dusty lot where he took his first steps is unrecognizable.

Yet this giant of one of the world’s biggest sports has made it – and thrives today — despite a journey marked by tragedy. For example, his father drank himself to death.

The boy in the childhood footage, born in 1985, was the fourth in his family — and his birth almost never happened. Desperate and alone, his mother once tried to induce a miscarriage. She drank potent black beer and ran until she collapsed, following a neighbor’s shocking advice that it would end the pregnancy.

Miraculously, it didn’t work, and he survived, setting the stage for a life that would one day captivate the world.

You will have seen his face before

Posted by IGV on Monday, October 6, 2025
When an old photo of this mega-star surfaced online, fans were stunned. The little boy’s innocent eyes and shy smile hinted at something special, but no one could have imagined he’d grow into one of the world’s most famous athletes.

One fan wrote, “Can’t believe this was him as a child,” while another joked, “He grew up to be the heart of the entire world.”

Named after Ronald Reagan
So, who are we talking about? None other than football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40 years old.