Cristiano Ronaldo is probably the most famous man in the world. He is certainly the most followed on Instagram and unquestionably a hard man to get reach of, given his star status in football and beyond.
No wonder then that fans were left perplexed and awed when Spanish journalist Edu Aguirre got to celebrate an amateur boxing win with not only Ronaldo, but also his partner Georgina Rodriguez.
Aguirre recently triumphed against fellow TV sports journalist Gaston Edul at Spanish celebrity streamer Ibai’s annual amateur boxing event La Velada’s sixth edition. The Spaniard was awarded a split decision in a closely fought duel and was honoured with a champion’s belt akin to professional fighting events.
In the couple of days following his win, Aguirre first posted a photo of him in a swimming pool alongside Ronaldo with the duo holding the belt. Soon after, the 38-year-old then posted a picture with Georgina on a private jet along with his belt.
Aguirre even went so far as to include a little tease with the photo. He cheekily declared Georgina as the only happy Argentine in recent times, thus taking a subtle shot at La Albiceleste’s defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
However, those that watched Ibai’s la Velada event would have a sense of how deep the connections run between Aguirre and Ronaldo.
Before the fight started, the screens at the arena flashed footage of Ronaldo overseeing Aguirre’s training sessions for the event. Given the rather niche and rookie tone of the festival, the mere distant involvement of Ronaldo drew massive cheers from the crowd.
But there was more to come still. After Aguirre was declared the winner, he instantly ran to the corner and mounted the turnbuckles. The journalist promptly performed multiple passionate renditions of Ronaldo’s iconic ‘Sui’, and the whole arena echoed in celebration with him each time.
“Thank you to my friend Georgina (Rodríguez) and to the greatest player in history, whether people like it or not. Thank you, Cristiano Ronaldo,” Aguirre said on the mic immediately after.
The tribute to Ronaldo is no coincidence.
Aguirre and Ronaldo’s friendship dates back over a decade when the Portuguese was breaking records at Real Madrid. Aguirre, working for Marca then, was tasked with covering the Merengeus’ training sessions at Valdebabas and the other happenings around the club.
With time, he developed an individual bond with Ronaldo that extended to a family friendship soon after. Aguirre benefitted from the pairing massively and soon became a prominent figure on El Chiringuito TV, a role he continues to perform till date.
“I got to know him little by little. In the end, running into each other in the mixed zones, plus I’d been covering Real Madrid news for a long time. We started talking and then got along really well,” Aguirre once revealed himself during a broadcast.
“Our wives also got along really well afterward, we spend vacations together, our kids get along well, and so little by little we kept meeting up and became very close friends.”
In the past Aguirre has relayed multiple stories of his time with Ronaldo, such as playing padel together at midnight during vacation. Their two families have also been spotted together sparsely at events and exotic destinations.
For instance, in 2024 they were all present at the Three Kings Day celebrations in Dubai. Ronaldo was accompanied by Georgina and his inner circle of friends, which included Aguirre along with his wife Julia Salmean.
Aguirre has even had access to exclusive interviews with the global icon in the past, in as intimate surroundings as Ronaldo’s home. It is safe to say then Aguirre’s La Velada triumph won’t be the last thing they will be celebrating together.
