Football star Cristiano Ronaldo is taking part in a European Championship for the sixth time. And yet his family always comes first for him.
World footballer, record goalscorer, European champion and much more. The Portuguese football world star Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, – also known as CR7 – is not only known for his extraordinary skills on the field, but also for his incredible discipline and work ethic. His development from a talented boy from the Atlantic island of Madeira to a global superstar has also been marked by tough decisions and private dramas. This Tuesday evening, Ronaldo will be joining the Portuguese national football team in the European Championships. The match against the Czech Republic begins at 9 p.m. in Leipzig.
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro – his family of origin from Madeira
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, his full name, was born on February 5, 1985 in Funchal, the capital of the Portuguese island of Madeira. As the youngest of four children, he grew up in modest circumstances. His father, José Dinis Aveiro, worked as a gardener, his mother, Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro, as a cook.
His father died in 2005 at the age of 52 from the effects of his alcoholism, when Cristiano was on his way to international fame at Manchester United. His father’s death hit him hard, he said in interviews. Later, his mother also struggled with health problems. “My mother is the pillar of the family and what I have today is because she always supported me,” Ronaldo said in an interview with Piers Morgan for “Mail Online” about the beloved family member.
Ronaldo’s mother has now become an Instagram heavyweight. She gives her 4.1 million followers insights into her life and that of her famous extended family. Lastly there was a birthday post for her “beloved” teenage grandson Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.
From Madeira to Riyadh – Cristiano Ronaldo’s outstanding career
Back to the young footballer Cristiano Ronaldo on Madeira’s football pitches. Even as a young boy he showed an extraordinary passion for football. At the age of twelve he left Madeira and went to the youth academy of Sporting Lisbon. This difficult step not only meant separation from his family, he also had to assert himself in a new environment.
The next big step in Ronaldo’s career came in 2003, when he moved to Manchester United at the age of 18. Here he met Sir Alex Ferguson, 82, who became one of the most influential people in his life. “Sir Alex was like a father to me. He not only taught me football, but also discipline and respect,” he later explained in an interview.
The move to Real Madrid in 2009 marked the next high point in Ronaldo’s career. He was under contract there until 2018. From 2018 to 2021 he played for the top club Juventus Turin. After a brief return to Manchester, Ronaldo has been playing for al-Nassr FC, the Saudi Arabian football club in the capital Riyadh, since 2023.
Over time, the sports professional developed strict routines to keep his body in top shape. His diet, sleep and training schedule were planned down to the last detail. “I learned that small details make the difference. Discipline means making the right decisions every day,” he said in 2018 in an interview with “Men’s Health”.
Happy with his large patchwork family
As disciplined and structured as his professional path to the top of the world was, the unusual story of the family he founded is strange and chaotic. Cristiano Ronaldo is now the father of five children.
Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., born on June 17, 2010, is Ronaldo’s first son. His mother’s identity is still a secret. Ronaldo has sole custody of him and has stated in various interviews that he will not reveal his mother’s identity in order to protect her privacy. On the occasion of his first-born’s birthday a few days ago, Ronaldo posted a photo of the two of them together at an event and wrote on Instagram: “I can’t believe you’re already 14, how time flies. Happy birthday, my little partner! Daddy loves you very much.”
The twins Eva and Mateo were born on June 8, 2017 via a surrogate mother in the USA. Here too, the identity of the mother remains unknown, which sparked much speculation and discussion in the media.
Georgina Rodríguez, 30, an Argentinian-Spanish model, was already in his life. She is Ronaldo’s only publicly known partner with whom he has children. They met in 2016 in a luxury brand store in Madrid, where she worked as a saleswoman. Their daughter Alana Martina was born on November 12, 2017. Georgina has long since taken on the role of mother to all children.
In spring 2022, the couple’s second child, a daughter named Bella Esmeralda, was born. At the same time, however, the two had to cope with a serious blow of fate: their twin brother Angel did not survive the birth. “This year was the most difficult of my life. The happiest moment also became the saddest and will stay with us for the rest of our lives,” the model said about the traumatic experience in the Spanish edition of “Elle”.
Ronaldo recently reiterated that his family of seven is the world football star’s top priority to a photo on Instagram on the occasion of the seventh birthday of twins Eva and Mateo. “Family first,” he told his 632 million followers.