Since soccer powerhouse David Beckham has been out of commission for the 2010 World Cup, a fairly new face (and abs) of soccer has emerged. It's Cristiano Ronaldo.Both Beckham and Ronaldo made their soccer debuts playing for England's premier club team, Manchester United, and eventually took their talent to Real Madrid. Besides those impressive kicks what do these two have in common? Turns out a lot. Here are the five reasons why Ronaldo makes a perfect substitution for Becks.
1. They've both bared it all
For fashion, that is. When Beckham decided not to renew his contract as an underwear model for Emporio Armani, the fashion house found the perfect successor in Ronaldo. At 24, Ronaldo was more than happy to strip down and show off those abs – he does 3,000 crunches a day – proving that he has moves more places than a soccer field.
2. They both like to make a grand entrance
Beckham ditched the red and white of Manchester United glory in 2006 to join the ranks of Real Madrid. Ronaldo made the same switch in 2009 with the same amount of fan frenzy. Manchester and Madrid have only ever publicly fought over these two players, but fans and teammates rejoiced when both players were confirmed Real Madrid footballers. Captain Raul Gonzalez even said, "I was as excited when Beckham started to play with us as I am with the arrival of Cristiano."
3. They like to set records, off the field
While these footballers have done their fair share of (soccer) club hopping, it hasn't been without lucrative benefits. Beckham's 2007 L.A. Galaxy deal cost the team $250 million, over the span of five years, and forced MLS to change its salary caps. Likewise, Manchester United sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a whopping $131.5 million, the highest transfer fee ever paid in competitive soccer.
4. Beautiful women come flocking
Posh and Becks have become the hottest couple to watch since their wedding almost 10 years ago, and Ronaldo's also spent a fair amount of time in the company of glamorous women. Even though he's never officially called any particular lucky lady his "girlfriend," he's been linked to everyone from Kim Kardashian to Paris Hilton and has recently been spotted getting cozy with supermodel Irina Shayk.
5. Lucky Number Seven
Not to mention Portugal scored SEVEN goals in their World Cup game against North Korea Monday, but the Manchester United Shirt Number 7 is reserved for the team's finest, so it's no surprise that both Beckham and Ronaldo had the honor of wearing it. The fascination with the lucky number doesn't end there though, Beckham has VII tattooed on his body, a DB7 clothing line and has even been seen lining up at the number seven line at the grocery store. Ronaldo reportedly has CR7 inscribed on furniture in his house and has matching seven-shaped tables and jewelry.
