Breaking records on the pitch must not have been enough for legendary futbol star Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese player, one of the richest athletes in the world and the most followed athlete on social media, is adding another title to his already heavily laden mantle: YouTube star.
On Wednesday, Ronaldo launched his first-ever YouTube channel, encouraging followers to subscribe and follow him on his “new journey.” There are only 12 videos on the channel — spanning from explaining how he handles stress in his career, exploring his passions, and rating his best Euro goals. But the announcement immediately made waves. He broke the record for the fastest channel to reach 1 million subscribers and then the fastest channel to reach 20 million followers. His numbers have continued to grow, and as of Thursday afternoon, he’s reached over 22.8 million subscribers. On Wednesday night, Ronaldo shared a video on social media bringing home a golden YouTube subscriber plaque to his family.
Beyond the shockingly high numbers, Ronaldo’s online appeal makes sense. The athlete is best known for his storied career as a soccer forward on some of the world’s best teams. He’s played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and returned to Manchester United again before joining Saudi club Al-Nassr for a record-breaking $177 million a year. He’s also played on the Portugal National Team in the World Cup. His accomplishments seem endless, with multiple Premier League titles under his belt, alongside a Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, and five Ballon d’Ors — a prestigious French award recognizing the best player of the year.
Representatives for YouTube did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment, but Ronaldo’s new YouTube presence represents a growing trend of sports stars dabbling in online mediums. A little over a week ago, famed Patriots quarterback Tom Brady joined YouTube with his own channel — gaining over 47 thousand followers. Other athletes on the platform include Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Cam Newton, and Jimmy Butler. Ronaldo now joins the illustrious pack on top, with promises to share more content online.
