Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest football players to have ever lived.
The forward has countless trophies to his name and has broken numerous records representing Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and the Portugal national team.
But the 37-year-old is also a family man and is delighted that his first born son Cristiano Ronaldo Jr is following in his footsteps and already showing signs that he too could forge himself a career in football.
Here is everything you need to know about Cristiano Ronaldo Jr including who he currently plays for and what he has already achieved at the age of 11-years-old.
Who is Cristiano Ronaldo Jr?
Cristiano Ronaldo Jr was born in San Diego, USA in June 2010 and is the first child of the current Man Utd striker, whom he is named after. The identity of his mother has never been revealed and will remain anonymous after an agreement was settled between herself and the 37-year-old, while Ronaldo has said that he will tell his son the truth once he is old enough.
It is believed that Ronaldo has full custody of his lookalike son, whom he has done a fantastic job in bringing up, along with the help of his own mother, Dolores. In the family, he is nicknamed 'Cristianinho', which means 'Little Cristiano', which is true in both looks and footballing sense, with the father and son having an incredibly close relationship.
Cristiano Jr is one of five children and was an only child for almost seven years before the births of twins, Eva and Mateo in June 2017, to a surrogate mother, and then Alana Martina in November 2017. A boy and a girl were born on 18 April 2022, but the boy sadly died during childbirth.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo Jr become as successful as his father? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Who does he play for?
There has been plenty of debate over whether Cristiano Jr will become a footballer like his father but he has shown in recent years that he is well on the way to following in his footsteps. Cristiano Jr now plays for Manchester United under 12s, after signing for the club earlier this year.
However, whilst Ronaldo was at Juventus, his son started playing for the club’s youth sides, and a number of videos of him scoring a hatful of goals went viral as he showed glimpses of the talent he already possesses and the similarities he shares with his father in the way plays.
While the family were still living in Turin, his father revealed: "I hope that Cris, my son, can be like his dad. He says he is going to be better [than me], but I think it's difficult. He is playing for Juventus and adapting really well, it has been easier for him than for me."
Footballing career so far
By the time he left Juventus following his father’s transfer to Man Utd last year, Cristiano Jr left a huge mark at the club after producing some phenomenal numbers for the youth sides. In just 23 games, the 11-year-old notched a remarkable 58 goals and 17 assists during his time in Turin.
Despite having to wait a while to join the Red Devils' youth set-up, Cristiano Jr is now an important member of his side and plays alongside Wayne Rooney's son, Kai, while he wears the famous no. 7 shirt, just like his father. The pair have impressed at the club and Cristiano Jr even copied his dad's famous 'Siu' celebration after scoring at an overseas tournament recently.
In 2020, Ronaldo said: "We'll see if my son will become a great footballer. He has potential. He is fast and dribbles well, but that is not enough. I always tell him that it takes work and dedication to have success. I won't pressure him to become a footballer, but if you ask me if I want him to, yes I would like it. The most important thing is to become the best at whatever he does, whether it is as a footballer or a doctor."
