Cristiano Ronaldo gave a nod to his new trusted inner circle with his invitation list for his 38th birthday party in Saudi Arabia over the weekend.
Ronaldo, who toasted turning 38 with three birthday cakes, kept things low key with key members of his entourage and family friends in attendance.
Alongside his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez, and his eldest son Cristiano Ronaldo Jnr, Ronaldo was joined by some of his long-time friends, as well as a reporter from Madrid and his financial manager.
It has been a tumultuous few months for Ronaldo since leaving Manchester United – with the Portuguese superstar parting ways with long-time agent Jorge Mendes.
But Ronaldo was all smiles with his refined inner circle over the weekend as he shared cake, as well as relaxing by an outdoor fire.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated with three birthday cakes as he was joined by family and friends
He relaxed with friends around an open fire as he gave a strong indication to his inner circle
Jose Semedo (back left), Ricky Regufe (left), Miguel Paixão (second left), Edu Aguirre (right) and Miguel Marques (back right) are all trusted confidantes for the Portuguese superstar
Miguel Paixão and Jose Semedo are two of Ronaldo’s oldest friends.
Ronaldo has previously described Semedo as ‘one of the best friends that life has given me’.
The pair fostered a close relationship in their younger days back in Portugal and have routinely taken holidays together in recent years.
Paixão was formerly Ronaldo’s roommate when he started out at Sporting Lisbon as a teenager, and they have remained inseparable ever since.
Paixão shared a selfie of the pair of them to wish ‘young boy’ Ronaldo a happy birthday.
Along with his two close friends, Ronaldo extended an invitation to El Chiringuito reporter Edu Aguirre and his wife Julia Salmeán.
El Chiringuito reporter Aguirre has become a close friend of Ronaldo and his girlfriend
Georgina Rodriguez (left) has grown close to Aguirre’s wife Julia Salmeán (right)
Aguirre and Salmean struck up a close relationship with Ronaldo and Rodriguez during his time in Spain playing for Real Madrid.
In his own post on Instagram, Aguirre wrote of his recent trip to Riyadh: ‘Happy Birthday brother!! The best is always yet to come.’
Salmean and Rodriguez routinely take trips together, including the Cannes Film Festival.
CR7’S INNER CIRCLE
Miguel Paixão – long time friend
Jose Semedo – long time friend
Ricky Refuge – Personal manager
Edu Aguirre – El Chiringuito journalist
Julia Salmeán – wife to Edu Aguirre
Miguel Marques – Asset manager
The other people over in Riyadh celebrating with Ronaldo was his new personal manager and agent Ricky Regufe, as well as Miguel Marques, who looks after Ronaldo’s personal fortune.
Regufe and Ronaldo have been almost inseparable since they met back in 2003.
He has proven to be a constant presence in every step of Ronaldo’s career, from breaking through at Sporting to helping negotiate his record breaking deal in Saudi Arabia.
Regufe was responsible for orchestrating Ronaldo’s sensational £175million-a-year move, with the 43-year-old a vital presence in the star’s life as both his friend and personal manager.
Marques is Ronaldo’s assets manager and is a trusted part of the whole CR7 operation that has been a constant around the family through the years.
Ronaldo wrote on Instagram following the celebrations: ‘Thank you everyone for all the birthday messages. Grateful to have spent the day with my family and friends.’
Last week Ronaldo scored his first goal for his new club Al-Nassr as he netted a penalty in a 2-2 draw with Al-Fateh.
Al-Nassr’s next game sees them take on Al-Wehda away on Thursday. Ronaldo’s side are currently top of the league, but they are above Al-Shabab and Al-Ittihad only on goal difference.
source: dailymail.co.uk
