Ronald Araujo: Life, Clubs, Career and Stats

Ronald Federico Araujo da Silva or simply Ronaldo Araujo is one of the most sensational young footballers in modern days. The 25-year-old, who is already making strides in both club and country, has the same characteristics as the top defenders of the beautiful game of football. His outstanding skills and adaptability in defense have been notable for both Barcelona and the Uruguay national team. 

Since joining La Liga in 2019, Araujo has been a key figure in the midst of Barca superstars. Regarded as one of the best defenders in the world of football, Araujo is the most reliable player in Xavi’s ranks. The Barca star is known for his agility and aggressive mentality to stop attackers from getting past him. His versatility in defense allows him to play in any position at the back, whether it be as a centre-back or a full-back. 

The Uruguayan young star was born in Rivera, Uruguay, a town that borders Brazil, where he spent his childhood with his parents. As his mother is from Brazil and his father is from Uruguay, he had the opportunity to follow Latin American people’s love for football. Although most people do not know much about his childhood, the world-class defender started his footballing journey in 2012, having joined his hometown club, Huracan de Rivera. Scroll down below to know more about Ronald Araujo’s life, clubs, and career. 

Ronaldo Araujo Bio

• Full Name: Ronald Federico Araujo da Silva
• Date of Birth: March 7, 1999
• Place of Birth: Rivera, Uruguay
• Professional Debut: 2016
• Teams: Barcelona, Uruguay national team
• Jersey Number: 4
• Position: Centre-back, Right-back

Also read: Jules Koundé: Life, Clubs, Career and Stats

Ronald Araujo’s Early Years

Being born and raised in the countryside of Uruguay, Arajou was taught to prioritize studying overplaying. He comes from a very humble and lower-class family. His mother used to work as a house cleaner in the neighborhood of Rivera and sell pastries in a local club, Huracan de Rivera. His Uruguayan father used to go to the field for daily work and failed to meet his family on a regular basis.

Until the age of 16, Araujo was not allowed to play football regularly as his Brazilian mother had a very strict policy on studying at home. Through determination and skills, he caught the eye of the local amateur team Huracan de Rivera and joined the club in 2012 at the age of 14.

He is a staunch believer of Christianity as it was instilled in him by his family. Araujo’s journey also involved studying hard, as his mother always wanted Araujo to complete his academics with flying colors. Before joining Rentistas in 2016, he completed his schooling in his hometown. When he began to take football seriously, he started watching football matches regularly to follow in their footsteps in the future. Among his list of footballing heroes, the most notable ones are Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez, and Carles Puyol.

The journey Begins: Huran de Rivera, Rentistas & Boston River

Ronaldo Araujo, a product of Huracan de Rivera, started his beautiful journey of football at the age of 13 in his hometown Rivera. Huracan de Rivera took him as their own and started to nurture him in their developing environment. After years of dedication to this amateur club, he was recruited by the youth academy of Rentistas in 2016 as a forward. He refined his worth in the ranks of young players of the Uruguayan club and forced the senior management of the club to hand him an appearance in the senior team through his burgeoning talent.

After making his senior debut at Rensistas in the month of September 2016, it did not take long for him to make a mark in the senior division of the Uruguayan league system, as he scored his first senior goal in December 2016. His performance and dedication on the pitch earned him a regular starting position in the club, which brought him his first-ever hat-trick in senior football against Villa Espanola on June 17. In Rentistas, he made a bold decision to make the significant switch in his playing position from forward to defender as the Uruguayan club management believed that Araujo would be one of the best players in the world if he plays at the back instead of staying up front. At the senior level, the Latin American superstar played in only 17 games for Rentistas, scoring 7 goals in the process.

His impact on the field started to garner attention from across the country and Boston River took the opportunity to sign the player in 2017, with Rentistas failing to retain his service. Araujo made his Boston debut in September and made 27 appearances in total. His stay at the club was made brief when Barcelona arrived knocking at the club’s and player’s door with the promise of a great career. 

The Barcelona Chapter

Ronaldo Araujo embarked on the journey of a career full of promise and dreams when he signed a five-year contract with Barcelona on 29th August 2018, leaving Uruguay for the first time in his life. The Spanish outfit spent around $6.2 million to sign him.

A star in the making – Barcelona B

In his initial days at Barca, he was assigned to the Barcelona B team for the Segunda B division. Under the close supervision of the prolific trainers and coaches, he improved his defending skills and sense of possession, adapting to the Barca style. In over one and half years as a reserve player in the team, Araujo made over 40 appearances and scored six goals. 

The Rise of a Megastar – Barcelona Senior Team

The Uruguayan star started his ascent in the Catalan Club like a phoenix through hard work and perseverance on the pitch. His formidable stature as a leader in the Barca B team guided him to his senior debut for the Spanish heavyweights in October, 2019 against Sevilla in a La Liga game.

However, his first senior appearance at the club was short-lived after he was sent off because of a foul on Javier Hernandez, resulting in him staying on the pitch for only 13 minutes. Since then, he had to wait for almost one year to rise in the ranks of the first team, and finally earned a promotion to the main squad in the 2020-21 season, wearing jersey number four. 

2020-2023 at Barca

Since 2020, Araujo has been instrumental in solidifying the defense of Barcelona, which has been struggling to fill the void left by their trusted general, Gerard Pique. Despite playing at the back, he is known for his wide runs and his attacking mentality during counter attacks. His first goal in La Liga came against Valencia in a 2-2 home draw. Araujo caught the attention of the European football community and made a mark in the big boys’ game after his scintillating performance against Barcelona’s archrivals Real Madrid in an El Clasico in 2022, where he produced a world-class goal through a header to hand his side a remarkable 4-0 victory. 

His breakthrough season, however, was the 2022-23 season at Camp Nou, when he partnered with either Jules Kounde or Andreas Christensen, and formed a solid defensive unit for the Spanish side. They kept the most number of clean sheets (16) in the top five leagues of Europe, a feat that can only be achieved by the elite defenders. His leadership traits also led him to claim the place of the third captain of the team. 

Career and Stats

Araujo boasts an illustrious career so far, decorated with goals and assists, and a series of silverware.

Club career:

For Uruguay:

Ronald Araujo’s Personal Life

As Araujo comes from a humble background, he does not seek a luxurious life even in Spain, despite being a rich successful footballer. His Brazilian mother used to work as a maid, and his Uruguayan father used to work as a field worker to support their family. As Araujo himself said in an interview: “I still hold onto my family values, instilled by my parents, who always taught me to stay grounded.” The star defender also has two brothers who always prefer to keep their affairs private. 

Ronald Araujo’s Wife & Children

As Araujo’s star continues to rise, there is growing curiosity about his wife and family. The Barca superstar married his long-term beautiful girlfriend from Uruguay, Abigail Olivera. The couple got married in 2018 and have two beautiful daughters – Aitana and Adara. 

Ronald Araujo’s Net Worth

The Barca superstar is said to have a net worth of 22 million Euros, according to Forbes. As he is just getting started with his high-profile career in football, it can be expected that his net worth will increase exponentially. He signed a new contract at Barca last year, which provides him with a huge salary of 5.5 million Euros per year. As an influential figure in the soccer world, he also endorses the products for Trendex with whom he has a long-term sponsorship deal. The Barca centre-back also boasts a luxury French car named Citroen, which is one of the most expensive cars in the world.

FAQs

Q1: How to Pronounce Ronald Araujo?

Ronald as (Rohn) + (Uhld) and Araujo as UU-RAA-H-OH.

Q2: Is Ronald Araujo injured?

No, there is no such news coming from FC Barcelona camp at the moment. He is expected to start in the coming Real Madrid vs Barcelona game on 22nd April 2024.

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