Cristiano Ronaldo is working with a YouTube squad of 21 people, it has been revealed, but social media remains merely a hobby for the Portuguese icon.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Back in July, the most-followed personality on Instagram – and the highest-earning athlete on the planet – branched out into the world of video creation. Unsurprisingly, when a man that has grown accustomed to shattering records is concerned, CR7 rewrote the history books within hours of his YouTube launch.

DID YOU KNOW?

His UR Cristiano channel raced to 1 million subscribers inside 90 minutes and now boasts over 66m. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who plies his trade in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Nassr, has been working closely with YouTube as well as his own team at Dentsu Creative Iberia and producers in the Middle East.

WHAT DENTSU CEO SAID

Tomas Froes, CEO of Dentsu, has told Digiday when lifting the lid on how Ronaldo’s YouTube channel works: “Ronaldo is the biggest star in the world in my opinion. He is the most known person on the only planet that we know [that] there’s life. So he’s the most known person in the universe. YouTube understands that.”

He went on to reveal that a team of 16 staffers have been assigned to UR Cristiano, while five members of production staff from British company Whisper are now based in Riyadh to work on Ronaldo-related content.

THE GOSSIP

Froes added on what Ronaldo hopes to achieve from his videos, and why he will never commit fully to life as a social media influencer: “We believe that to show Ronaldo as we have never seen him before, we need time. He wants to show the Cristiano outside the pitch. [Ronaldo] is not a YouTuber and will not be a YouTuber. He’s a professional player and then a businessman.”

WHAT NEXT?

YouTube are understandably delighted to have Ronaldo on board, with Pedro Pinta – VP of YouTube Europe, Middle East and Africa – saying in a statement: “YouTube’s dream team-up with football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has been a labour of love and dedication. This is just the kick-off to an epic adventure, and we’re strapped in for the ride.” There is the promise of more to come, with Ronaldo continuing to produce online content as his professional playing career is extended towards a 40th birthday in February 2025 and well beyond that point.

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