Rick Ross
A trusted face of international sports broadcasting who now shapes the conversation from inside the organization.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American rapper and music executive·Birthday: January 28·Generation X
Biography
Pedro Pinto's career is a transatlantic journey from on-air authority to behind-the-scenes strategist. The Portuguese-American journalist first gained recognition as a presenter and reporter for CNN International in London, where his polished delivery and deep knowledge of European football made him a fixture for a global audience. He covered major events like the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League, interviewing the sport's biggest stars. In a significant career pivot, Pinto moved from reporting on stories to helping manage them. He joined UEFA in 2016 as Head of Communications, later becoming Chief of Staff to the organization's president. In this role, he helps navigate the complex media landscape of European football, applying his journalistic experience to shape messaging and strategy for one of the sport's most powerful governing bodies.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Rick was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Rick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Rick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as a prominent anchor and reporter for CNN International, covering global sports for over a decade.
- Appointed as UEFA's Chief of Staff to President Aleksander Čeferin in 2020.
- Previously held the role of Head of Communications at UEFA, managing the organization's media relations.
- Has conducted high-profile interviews with numerous world-class athletes and football executives.
Did You Know?
He is fluent in four languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French.
He began his journalism career at Sports Illustrated magazine.
He earned a master's degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University.
Before UEFA, he worked for the Portuguese television network RTP.
“Every day I wake up, I think about how to get more money than yesterday.”
