HE is the talisman of any team he joins, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner who seems to turn everything he touches to gold.
Admired by millions, and with a bank balance and social media following to match his success, to the outside world Cristiano Ronaldo appears to have all the luck anyone would wish for.
Yet tragedy and misfortune have never been far from the sporting superstar.
From being born into an unhappy, impoverished home, to losing some of those he loved most, the Manchester United star might reasonably think he's had worse luck than most.
The difference, according to those who know him, is that rather than let those experiences destroy him he has always used them to his advantage, to become a better, stronger person.
The 37-year-old is now having to deal with perhaps the greatest tragedy of them all - losing a baby.
Poignantly, after he scored a hat-trick in his side's 3-2 victory over Norwich on Saturday he walked off with the ball under his shirt in an apparent tribute to pregnant partner Georgina Rodriguez.
The footballer recently opened up about what his family means to him.
"I have millions and billions but the most important thing is family," he said. "Keep your family healthy and take care of them because this is the most important thing in the world.”
That Cristiano strives to be an even better dad than he is a footballer is no doubt due to his own experiences of growing up with a drunk father who he never had a "normal conversation" with.
The youngest of four children raised in poverty on the Portuguese island of Madeira, the young Cristiano begged for burgers outside McDonald's and had to share one room with his three siblings.
His mum Dolores admitted she tried to have Cristiano aborted because she already had too many mouths to feed.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 20, 2022 من Daily Record.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 20, 2022 من Daily Record.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
MY DAYS ARE NUMBERED
Morgan: I've followed Forrest's formula to success and put focus on efficiency
KEEP IT TO YOURSELF
Remi: Caley Thistle won't worry what survival rivals do
UP THE GREEK
Kaabi takes Villa for ride as Euro bid is derailed
I'LL BE BACK
Higgins vows to make return to the Crucible
I knew Nora was going but I was like, no way
Johnny Rotten's tears on tour as he recalls death of beloved wife Catch more that
CARER STOLE £5K
Hospital worker took dementia patient's bank card
Thank you for saving our Caleb
Dad praises hospital team as son recovers from surgery to remove malignant tumour
I'VE GNAW IDEA HOW I GOT HERE
Mystery as animal team is called to rescue roaming rodent from beach
E-scooters on Scots roads is 'inevitable'
Hyslop adamant despite 'problematic' safety
GET OFF THE PLANE YA PAIR OF EGYPTS
Holidaymakers chant cheerio as yobs led off