Cristiano Ronaldo officially joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, with his move from Manchester United confirmed in June and his six-year contract beginning on 1 July 2009.

Quick Scoop

  • Transfer agreed and announced: mid-June 2009, when Real Madrid and Manchester United confirmed the deal for a then world‑record fee of around ÂŁ80 million (€94 million).
  • Contract start date at Real Madrid: 1 July 2009, which is the formal date he became a Real Madrid player under his six‑year deal.
  • Context: This transfer came right after Madrid also signed KakĂĄ, kicking off Florentino PĂ©rez’s second “GalĂĄcticos” era at the club.

In simple terms, when people ask “when did Ronaldo join Real Madrid?”, the precise answer is: his move was announced in June 2009 and became official with his contract starting on 1 July 2009.

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