Football legend Ronaldo is celebrating a new spiritual milestone after being baptised.

The 47-year-old was baptised last week at a Catholic church in São Paulo, in his native Brazil. 

He wrote about the moment on his Instagram and said it was a "very special day".

He shared some photos of himself in the beautiful church of São José and smiling next to two guests who appeared to be the godparents he referenced in his caption. 

Ronaldo reflected on what the ceremony meant to him in a caption that was written in Portuguese.

"The Christian faith has always been a fundamental part of my life, since childhood, even though I had not yet been baptised," he said.

"With the sacrament, I feel truly regenerated as a child of God — in a new, more conscious, deeper way. I renew my commitment to follow the path of good, of my own free will, believing in the love of Jesus, in supportive love."

Last year, Ronaldo completed the Camino de Santiago in Spain. The popular pilgrimage route is 280 miles long and goes all the way to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. 

Spain is where Ronaldo spent many years as a professional footballer, first with Barcelona and then with Real Madrid. He retired in 2011.