Ricky Regufe: The man behind Cristiano Ronaldo and his new life in Saudi Arabia

When he touched down in Saudi Arabia to complete his move to Al-Nassr, it was no surprise to see Cristiano Ronaldo flanked by his close friend Ricardo Regufe.

The pair have been nearly inseparable since they met in 2003, with Regufe a constant presence at every step of Ronaldo’s career, from the teenage prodigy at Sporting Lisbon to the global icon who signed a record-breaking contract in Saudi Arabia.

Regufe was in charge of orchestrating the sensational Ronaldo Movement of £175 million a yearwith 43 years of age, a vital presence in the life of the star as his friend and personal manager.

Known as Ricky, he He has been consistently photographed by Ronaldo’s side throughout his career. Whether it was when the star picked up the Ballon d’Or, he went on vacation and even within the Portuguese national team setup, much to the alleged annoyance of the star’s teammates.

The couple’s friendship dates back 20 years, having first met in 2003. Regufe had given up on his own dream of becoming a professional footballer at the age of 21, when he began pursuing a career in sports marketing. .

He was hired by Nike to look after their interests in his native Portugal, and the junior PR man met Ronaldo, then 16, at Sporting Lisbon.

Regufe was a major influence in ensuring Ronaldo established close ties with the sportswear giant, he successfully convinced the teen winger to sign a boot deal with Nike, which has since become more lucrative.

Regufe admitted that the deal was a game changer for Ronaldo, Nike and himself.

‘Starting working for Nike at the age of 21 was a dream come true! And I was far from knowing that it would change my life forever! 2 years after starting I have signed the best player of all time’, Regufe wrote on LinkedIn.

‘That was a complete game changer for Nike, for CR and me, obviously! What an amazing trip it was! 18 years working for a big company with so many colleagues, players, coaches, agents, etc.

‘I have learned a lot from all of them. He helped me achieve the best I could through a lot of dedication, passion, hard work, resilience, and consistency! There is no finish line…!’

While managing Ronaldo’s commercial endorsements was Regufe’s initial role, the link has extended well beyond the superstar’s business interests.

Ronaldo has regularly posted photos of Regufe with his family, sharing meals with him and their son. The closeness between the pair led to their relationship becoming the ‘Cricky’ monk.

The executive’s social media accounts have also documented his travels with Ronaldo, including visits to see UFC star Conor McGregor and boxer Gennady Golovkin.

Despite becoming a fixture in Ronaldo’s life, including working as a cameraman on occasion for important events, including his arrival in Saudi Arabia, Regufe has also shared photos from her personal life on Instagram.

He is married to fashion blogger Claudia Dinis, who were seen sporting Ronaldo shirts on his social media channels, and the couple have a daughter.

Regufe’s overall work throughout his career has been praised, and current Liverpool sporting director Julian Ward is among those who have spoken fondly of him. Ward endorsed the executive at LinkedIn in 2013, having previously worked at the Portuguese FA between 2008 and 2010.

“Ricardo is a smart and organized professional who has built strong relationships with coaches, players and practitioners working in elite sport,” Ward wrote.

Ricardo has a clear appreciation of the demands of international and professional sport. His knowledge of the soccer industry allowed him to identify and support the best athletes who represent the Nike brand.

‘His excellent people skills, integrity and approachable manner meant that he was always a pleasure to work with.’

According to the AthleticRegufe was similarly viewed by Manchester United, with Ronaldo’s personal manager seen as an ‘effective operator’ but the club, possessing the ‘ability to coax the star into doing things’.

The club’s hierarchy reportedly considered Regufe the first point of contact should they require the star to make appearances for the club off the pitch.

However, the extent of Regufe’s role in Ronaldo’s life has upset others, as his presence was a source of controversy during Portugal’s World Cup campaign in Qatar.

Regufe was claimed to have “excessive influence” over the star, according to reports in Portugal, with several players unable to “understand the reason” why he joined the team.

Ronaldo’s personal manager was said to share designated spaces for the players, with some questioning why he is always close to the team, even on match days.

However, Regufe has long seen himself within the Portuguese setup, sharing Ronaldo’s successes and disappointments with the national team.

Since then, Regufe has been seen pitchside on numerous occasions, most notably when he became the first to celebrate with the striker as Portugal won the Euro 2016 final, a match in which Ronaldo was forced to leave between tears over injury

Such is their relationship, the pair were seen collapsing in each other’s arms on the pitch following the extra-time win against France.

Having largely managed the business side of Ronaldo’s career, Regufe’s influence has expanded in recent years, ever since he left Nike to become his personal manager in 2018.

His involvement grew further after Ronaldo’s split with super-agent Jorge Mendes, who had overseen Ronaldo’s big money moves throughout his career.

The split followed an alleged disagreement over Ronaldo’s controversial interview with Piers Morgan, which hastened his departure from Manchester United in November.

Like Mendes, Regufe is believed to have advised Ronaldo against the interview, which was seen as having ended any lingering hope of joining a major European team.

However, Regufe stepped up to lead the negotiations for his move to Al-Nassr, increasing his involvement in his sports career.

With Ronaldo embarking on a new journey in Saudi Arabia, the ‘unique player’ will no doubt have Regufe by his side every step of the way to support the new life he and his family will have in the Middle East.