It's one of the most well-known nicknames in sports, and what does it mean and how did that come to be?
In the field of football, nicknames are popular, and few are more well-known than Cristiano Ronaldo's, who is commonly known to as 'CR7.'
Some of the best footballers ever to grace a pitch have been given endearing nicknames, such as Zizou (Zinedine Zidane), El Ilusionista (Andres Iniesta), O Fenomeno (Ronaldo Nazario) and Der Bomber (Gerd Muller), so it's no wonder that the Portuguese hero has one of his own.
Since his debut at Manchester United, the Ronaldo has been recognized as CR7, and he has built a global brand around the moniker.
What does CR7 stand for?
Cristiano Ronaldo moniker CR7 is a simple mixture of his initials and his favorite digit: 'C' first alphabet of Cristiano 'R' first alphabet of Ronaldo plus the # 7.
After wearing the number 28 for Sporting Lisbon, Cristiano was given the legendary No.7 jersey when he joined Manchester United, with Alex Ferguson urging his new protégé to follow in the footsteps of David Beckham, George Best, and Eric Cantona.
He then acquired the No.7 at international level as well, switching the No.17 for the jersey that had previously been used by Luis Figo, and he has wore the number at each club he has visited since then.
Interestingly, Ronaldo was obliged to wear the No.9 shirt when he first came at Real Madrid in 2009, because club great Raul was still the club's No.7.
Why is Cristiano Ronaldo referred to as 'CR7'?
Image Credit: PA/GoalAs previously stated, Ronaldo's moniker CR7 is simple, but it was - and continues to be - great from a marketing viewpoint.
Nike had already had considerable results with another Ronaldo, now known as 'The Original,' employing a no-frills strategy in selling the Mercurial footwear back in 1998.
The newest Mercurial boots used by the Brazilian superstar at the 1998 World Cup were called 'R9' after his name and number.
In that regard, CR7 is similar to the R9 moniker, however the former has undeniably eclipsed its predecessor in respect of legendary status.
Nike even sells CR7 items, such as football boots, training gears and balls.
The CR7 Brand
Image Credit: PA/GoalCR7 is more than simply Cristiano Ronaldo's moniker; it has become the distinguishing symbol of his global empire, which comprises a wide range of items from many industries.
Cristiano has a perfume line named 'CR7 Cristiano Ronaldo,' and he has also ventured into fashion by founding clothing businesses. The CR7 underwear collection is especially popular, and there are also eyeglasses and footwear products.
The celebrity has also developed a hotel chain, Pestana CR7 Hotels, in collaboration with the Pestana Hotel Group.
The company now operates hotels in Funchal and Lisbon, with intentions to expand to New York, Marrakech and Madrid too.
Moreover, with the idea to name a galaxy after the athlete in 2015, the CR7 brand truly has an out-of-this-world attraction.
Worth to mention that, Ronaldo was clearly inspired by the galaxy known as Galaxy CR7 or Cosmos Redshift 7.
Featured Image Credit: Getty composite/Goal