Portugal and former Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday, shattering records. The football star announced his channel on social media, taking to X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram “The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey”. The channel racked up over 1 million subscribers in the first 90 minutes of the announcement and has since then gone on to reach over 20 million subscribers, making it the fastest ever to do so.
The 39-year-old, a 5-time Balon d’Or winner currently plies his trade in Saudi club Al Nassr. Fans across the internet were delighted at the unveiling of his new project. Ronaldo’s channel has been titled “UR Cristiano” and has already uploaded 19 videos at the time of writing.
Widely regarded by many fans as one of the best ever to play the beautiful game, Ronaldo’s foray into this space of YouTube has already gained immense popularity, no doubt resonating amongst his huge fanbase. The Portuguese superstar already has over 900 million followers on his other social media accounts, being the most followed personal account on Instagram, 3rd most followed personal account on X (formerly Twitter) and the most followed personal page on Facebook.
Regarding the content of the channel, Ronaldo has promised his audience that they would receive a variety of content - ranging from topics on his life, diet, preparation, education and many more. Ronaldo’s decision to start a personal YouTube channel showcases the significance of the content creation and social media in today’s changing world and further highlights the rising popularity of online channels in today’s youth. The decision also emphasises Ronaldo’s self-perception of his own brand, showcasing the power of the creator economy that has risen in popularity.
Ronaldo stated in his channel’s launch video, “I have always enjoyed having such a strong relationship with fans on social media and my YouTube channel will give me an even bigger platform to do so and they will learn more about me, my family, and my views on many different subjects”. His decision to begin his channel also accentuates the importance of YouTube as a medium for athletes of various sports. A personal channel for interacting with fans and subscribers highlights the importance of direct communication between athletes and their supporters.
While previously most communication between popular athletes and their supporters would have been monitored or controlled by the means of various TV channels or supervised media, a personal YouTube channel permits individuals access to their audiences without gatekeeping measures or other restrictions.
While the magnitude of the club the Portugal superstar plays for may have differentiated, his popularity remains a force to be reckoned with on a global scale. Gaining over 20 million followers in just a day on YouTube has shattered several records and many other great athletes have taken to social media to congratulate Ronaldo on his achievement. These include Vinicius Jr., current Real Madrid star, who commented “Addicted to breaking records” on Ronaldo’s Instagram post announcing his channel. The previous record of being the fastest to reach 20 million subscribers was held by Mr Beast, who took just over 2 years to cross the milestone.
Ronaldo is currently preparing for Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League game against Al Raed. The game is scheduled for 22nd August at 11:30 pm IST. Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia came at a controversial time, after having a falling out at Manchester United with boss Erik ten Hag. Ronaldo had returned to Manchester United in 2021 after leaving the club in 2009 for Real Madrid. At Real Madrid, Ronaldo blossomed into the superstar he truly is, having won 4 Champions League Trophies and 4 Balon d’Ors. Following Real Madrid, Ronaldo spent a few seasons at Italian side Juventus before returning to Manchester United in 2021.
