Dubai: The caring and loving parent in Cristiano Ronaldo stepped out briefly when the Portuguese star pointed at his oldest son, Ronaldo Junior, as a case in point for possible sporting excellence.
Junior, a regular training partner with his illustrious dad, has shown a lot of potential in matching the rigorous physical regimen followed by the Juventus marksman in the gym and pitch.
But, the child has a long way to go still. “Kids all over the world want to be like me. My son is 10 years old and he has a long way still to go. But the reality is that the future of football is our kids. I have four. So, when I see kids around and they recognise my efforts, dedication and hard work, this all makes me proud and gives me the motivation to continue,” Ronaldo related.
“I am hard with him [Ronaldo Jr.] as at times he drinks Coca-Cola and Fanta and eats chips and fries. They [his kids] all know I don’t like it. But at the same time I think he is only 10 years old. Even the youngest one [3-year-old Alana Martina] knows that I don’t like to see her eat chocolates,” he smiled.
But the Portugal striker believed that Junior can make it big on the international stage by sheer hard work and merit alone. “He has potential. He is a big boy and he is fast. But this means nothing and it also takes a lot of dedication and hard work to be right there at the top,” Ronaldo said of his son.
“I understand he [Junior] is only 10. I will not push him. Let him be what he wants to be. But he has to be the best. Let him be a doctor or anything, but he has to be the best he can be,” Ronaldo insisted.
“Today, I do everything the same what I did 15 years ago. It’s been a truly fantastic life and I enjoy it a lot with people who care and love me.”ut
