A three-time winner of the FIFA Ballon d'Or, Cristiano Ronaldo's status as a footballing superstar is unquestionable. His insatiable desire to succeed and to improve himself year after year has seen him rise to the very pinnacle of his sport and kept him there for nearly a decade now.

Here Madrid-based journalist Luca Caioli tells the inside story of the global superstar, featuring insights from those who know him best: coaches, teammates, girlfriends and even the man himself.

Updated to include all the action from the 2016/17 season, the year after he claimed his third Champions League winner's medal and became the tournament's all-time top goalscorer. Ronaldo lays bare the career of a modern footballing icon.