As one of the most popular and important athletes in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo is once again in the spotlight, but it’s not because he’s scored a goal. This week, the Portuguese superstar revealed that his recently launched YouTube channel has set records in the immediate aftermath of its launch. In this article, we take a closer look at Ronaldo’s newly launched YouTube channel, its first performance, and what this means for athlete-created content.
Launch of “UR Cristiano”
On August 21, 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo launched a new YouTube channel called UR Cristiano Ronaldo. With the launch of the new channel, 19 videos of diverse nature were released about his daily life outside of football, his family and other passions. The official statement from Ronaldo reached fans all over the world and inspired more fans than ever to subscribe to the channel.
Ronaldo’s channel broke YouTube records by becoming the first channel to reach 1 million subscribers in just 90 minutes after its launch. This incredible achievement made the channel the fastest growing channel ever, and it’s all down to Ronaldo’s popularity: on the first day, the channel had over 13 million subscribers and the number is still growing.
In contrast to his other channels, the content on Ronaldo’s channel may offer fans a more intimate look into his life. Videos include titles such as “Nadal or Djokovic? Boxing or UFC? NBA or NFL? These are my passions!” and “You’ll get to know the real Cristiano and Georgina.” Ronaldo has stated that he sees the channel as an extension of his fans’ connection with him, as he allows them to connect with him on a more personal level in different ways through different types of content.
Ronaldo has proven that he can trend on YouTube, which is now the new standard for athletes to create accounts. So it is not surprising that he is gaining new subscribers at a much faster pace than many other athletes, such as Lionel Messi, who has 2 subscribers. His YouTube channel had 31 million subscribers. But Ronaldo is not there yet. He still has a long way to go to compete with Mr. Beast, the most subscribed YouTuber with over 331 million subscribers.
Cristiano Ronaldo truly pushed himself beyond his limits with his foray into YouTube. From his first post to today, every one of his posts has generated records and continues to set the bar for athlete-created content. As he began to engage with his fans in different ways outside of football, he not only expanded his reach, but also changed the perception of what it takes to be a modern sports star of international stature. As Ronaldo evolves in the way he promotes himself and interacts with his fans, watching his channel becomes a key element in the current world of social networks and sports performance.