The Portugal captain is settling into his new adventure in Italy after finding somewhere for him and his family to live
Cristiano Ronaldo’s €100 million (£88m/$117m) transfer from Real Madrid to Juventus was a move that shook up the world of football.
In joining the Serie A giants, the 33-year-old brought an end to his life in Spain in order to embark on a new adventure in Italy for what could well be the final chapter of his playing career.
Moving over 1,400km to a new country not only requires Ronaldo to integrate into a new team and learn a new language, it sees him uprooting his family and attempting to ground them in new terrain.
Beneath the sheen of a footballer’s glamorous lifestyle, there are mundane logistics which need to be taken care of, such as where to live and that can actually be quite a frustrating undertaking.
Sometimes the club a player is joining will take the lead in the house hunt, but some individuals may prefer to handle things themselves.
David Beckham’s troubles in finding a new home for his move from Manchester United to Real Madrid were depicted in the 2003 documentary The Real Beckhams, for example, while Michael Owen has related similar difficulties from his move to the continent.
Luckily for Ronaldo, he has managed to avoid that problem in Turin.
As the Portuguese settles into life in a new country surrounded by a different culture, Goal takes a look at where he is living.
Having reportedly considered a number of different options, Ronaldo is believed to have made two connected villas his new base in the north of Italy.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Portugal captain’s new home is situated in the hills above the Gran Madre de Dio in the heart of Turin and, as you might expect, it is accessible only via a private road.
Privacy is clearly a key consideration for Ronaldo and the buildings are shielded from prying eyes through lush leaves of the trees and vegetation which is dotted around the property.
With a lofty vantage point it will be no surprise to learn that the house boasts sensational views of the city as well as the hills and mountains which surround the region.
“It is as if Turin were at the feet of Ronaldo,” goes the Gazzetta report. “A tribute of the city to the long-awaited and newly arrived champion.”
The paper also suggests that the reason Ronaldo was so taken by the property and location was its similarity to his old home in Spain.
There are separate entrances to each of the villas and there is a sizeable garden, which would allow the player’s children space to play.
Of course, the house is kitted out with a gym and an indoor swimming pool – useful installations for any elite-level athlete.
The Instagram pages of Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez offer a glimpse into what life is like in their new home.
Ronaldo’s new abode is in an exclusive neighbourhood and one of his nearest neighbours is believed to be John Elkann, the chairman of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Turin is also the home of Andrea Agnelli, the Juventus president, as well as the majority of the Bianconeri squad, though it is not clear if they live in the vicinity of the Portuguese star.
The city has been home to a number of distinguished individuals over the years.
Italian novelist Umberto Eco, who was a native of northern Italy, studied in Turin for a period, while German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche frequently spent time there.
The fifth President of Italy, Giuseppe Saragat, was born in Turin, as was singer and model Carla Bruni, who is married to former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy.
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