Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., the eldest son of Cristiano Ronaldo, joined Portugal’s youth national teams as he was included in the under-16 squad for a tournament in Turkey this Monday. The announcement generated excitement, as expectations are high for the young forward to follow in his father’s footsteps. The question naturally arises: can Cristiano Jr. continue the legacy of one of the greatest players in soccer history?
According to a statement from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), 15-year-old Cristiano Jr. is one of 22 players called up to participate in the Under-16 Federation Cup, which will take place from October 30 to November 4 in the Turkish city of Antalya.
Cristiano Jr. made his debut in May with Portugal’s U-15 squad at the Vlatko Markovic Tournament in Croatia, where he scored a brace in the final against the host country, helping his team to a 3-2 victory. In that competition, he wore the iconic number 7 shirt of his father and played as a left winger, the same position Cristiano Ronaldo occupied early in his professional career.
The young forward has already gained experience at top-level clubs. Like his father, Cristiano Jr. is part of the Al Nassr youth academy in Saudi Arabia and previously developed in the youth systems of Manchester United and Juventus.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s journey through Portugal’s youth teams
Cristiano Ronaldo also progressed through Portugal’s youth national teams, starting from the U-15s and moving through the U-17, U-20, and U-21 levels before making his senior team debut in 2003. During his time in Portugal’s youth squads, Ronaldo played a total of 34 matches and scored 18 goals:
- Portugal U-15: 9 matches, 7 goals
- Portugal U-17: 7 matches, 5 goals
- Portugal U-20: 5 matches, 1 goal
- Portugal U-21: 13 matches, 5 goals
The pressure on Cristiano Jr.
The media spotlight is intense for the son of one of soccer’s all-time greats. Cristiano Jr. faces not only high expectations but also the challenge of carving his own path while following a father who left a mark at every club and national level he played. With his father’s record in youth competitions as a benchmark, Jr. carries the weight of needing to surpass those numbers to prove he can excel at the same level.