The Truth Behind Cristiano Ronaldo's Heart Condition

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, soccer players of all time. The 36-year-old has dominated the world of soccer since he was a teenager. Sportskeeda described the athlete's standout characteristics as "consistency and dedication." During 2004-2019, the sports icon became the first player to have 10 consecutive international tournaments (via Sportskeeda).

For the international athlete, maintaining his mental and physical strength is the most important thing because of what they mean for longevity. "Longevity is the most important thing," he told Australian Men's Health magazine. "And as you can see my longevity is great. I'm 36 years old, and I can still compete with the best players and can still maintain the shape I was in when I was 20 years old. It's not easy, but consistency takes you to perfection."

Although regarded as one of soccer's greatest players, there was a point in time when his health almost cost him his career.

As a young athlete, Cristiano Ronaldo was diagnosed with Tachycardia (via Olympics.com). According to the Mayo Clinic, tachycardia is a term for a rapid heartbeat of over 100 times per minute. An array of conditions can cause the heart's face-paced beating. Although it could be harmless, the intensive beating can lead to a stroke or heart failure. After several tests and exams, Ronaldo underwent heart surgery. He was 15 years old.

"They used a sort of laser to cauterise the source of the problem," his mother, Dolores Aveiro (pictured above with Ronaldo) told the Daily Mail in 2009. "He was operated on in the morning and came out at the end of the afternoon."

Although his mother was fearful of how the surgery will affect his career, Ronaldo was adamant that he would be fine. "Cristiano wasn't very worried – he didn't take the situation very seriously," she recalled. "But I got a big fright." The results were such that the young Ronaldo returned to the field only a couple of days after the surgery.