Cristiano Ronaldo gestures after a football match. File

Gulf Today Report

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, and the star of Saudi Al Nassr, has become the first person on earth to reach one billion followers on social media platforms.

Ronaldo wrote on the X platform, “We’ve made history — 1 BILLION followers! This is more than just a number - it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond.”

He continued, “From the streets of Madeira to the biggest stages in the world, I’ve always played for my family and for you, and now 1 billion of us stand together.”

“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey, and together, we’ve shown that there are no limits to what we can achieve.

“Thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life. The best is yet to come, and we’ll keep pushing, winning, and making history together.”

Ronaldo included an artwork showing many of the prominent moments in his career, accompanied by the comment “A billion dreams, one journey.”

Ronaldo recently opened his YouTube channel, which is followed by 60 million people. He also has more than 600 million followers on Instagram, in addition to millions of followers on X, Facebook and other Chinese social media.

On the other hand, Ronaldo said Erik ten Hag's attitude is too negative, urging the Manchester United manager to target the Premier League title even though the club need to "rebuild from the bottom".

The Portugal star, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, fell out with Ten Hag before his second spell at Old Trafford ended late in 2022.

Ronaldo believes his former club needs sweeping changes but that Ten Hag should not rule out winning major trophies in the meantime.

The Dutchman has said he is "quite confident" of claiming more silverware this campaign after lifting the League Cup and FA Cup over the past two seasons.

But he said in July his team are a "long way away" from being ready to win the Premier League, which they have not won since Alex Ferguson's final season in charge in 2013.