Cristiano Ronaldo Jr took a major step in following his father’s legendary footsteps as he made his debut for Portugal’s U15 national team on Tuesday. The 13-year-old played his first international match in the familiar red and green, during a 4-1 win over Japan at the Vlatko Markovic International Tournament, held in Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia.
Wearing the iconic No. 7 shirt, just like his father, Ronaldo Jr. began the match on the bench and came on in the second half. He played 26 minutes as a left winger the same position Cristiano Ronaldo Sr. occupied early in his career. While the young forward didn’t score, his presence helped maintain Portugal’s lead as they cruised to victory, powered by a hat-trick from Rafael Cabral and a goal from Henrique Amen.
Proud of his son’s milestone moment, Cristiano Ronaldo shared his joy on social media, writing, “Congratulations on your Portugal debut, son. Very proud of you.”
Portugal’s U15 squad is competing in Group B of the tournament and will face Greece next on Wednesday, followed by a clash with England on Friday.
Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. currently represents the youth team of Saudi club Al Nassr, where his father plays professionally. Prior to this, he was part of the youth academies at Manchester United and Juventus, further shaping his early football journey in the shadow of one of the sport’s greatest icons.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the most decorated individual player in the history of international soccer. At the age of 40, he is still Portugal's captain and is the highest scorer in the history of the international game. Ronaldo has so far made 219 appearances for his country, scoring 136 goals and adding 46 assists. He has won the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League at the international level.
Dolores Aveiro supports grandson from the stands
Before Ronaldo Jr made his debut, Ronaldo’s mother, Dolores Aveiro, was spotted at pitchside during her grandson’s training session. Known for being a constant support throughout Cristiano Ronaldo’s career, Dolores is now cheering on the next generation of the family, standing by her grandson as he begins his own path in football.
