Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu believes that Cristiano Ronaldo will postpone hanging up his boots until he can play with his son Cristiano Jr.
“That’s Ronaldo’s real motivation to play. He wants to stand side by side with his son, play an official match. That’s why Ronaldo doesn’t give up,” Mutu revealed to the Romani newspaper iAM SPORT .
Mutu made this comment possibly because he visited Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia in May, and Ronaldo shared his desire to play with his 14-year-old son Cristiano Jr.
Ronaldo trains with his son at Man Utd. Photo: Instagram/@cristiano
Cristiano Jr, born in 2010, followed his father’s footsteps and trained at the academies of Real Madrid, Juventus, Man Utd and Al Nassr clubs. He was once praised for having the same qualities as his father. If excellent, Cristiano Jr. can play professionally from the age of 16 like Spain’s Lamine Yamal, meaning Ronaldo only needs to wait two more years. At that time, he will be 41 years old.
However, according to Mutu, the day Ronaldo plays with his son may even come sooner. “At Al Nassr, that is completely possible. If Ronaldo played for another club, Real Madrid for example, that wish would be more difficult to fulfill. However, the prospect of father and son playing together, even a partial match, within the next year is impossible,” Mutu said.
Mutu visits Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. Photo: X/@Emishor
Ronaldo just joined Portugal in the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 before being eliminated by France in the penalty shootout. This is the first major tournament Ronaldo has attended without scoring (since Euro 2004), despite having had opportunities. Typically, passing to a teammate to score instead of finishing in a face-to-face situation in the Türkiye match in the group stage, or a missed penalty in extra time in the Slovenia match in the 1/8 round.
The 39-year-old striker has not confirmed when he will play or whether he will participate in the next tournament with Portugal or not. When asked about the future of Ronaldo and 41-year-old midfielder Pepe after Euro 2024, Portuguese coach Roberto Martinez said: “Currently, no personal decisions have been made”.
Not long after, Ronaldo posted on his personal page hinting that he could continue to play for the national team. “On and off the field, I am sure this legacy will be honored and will continue to be built together,” he wrote.
Ronaldo holds the record of playing 212 matches and scoring 130 goals in the international arena. His best achievement with the team is the Euro 2016 championship, the first international title of Portuguese football.
