Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has predicted that his eldest son, Cristiano Jr., could surpass him in football, saying the teenager is already physically ahead of where he was at the same age.
Ronaldo made the comment in a video shared by Netflix Sports while watching his 16-year-old son train with the Al Nassr youth team.
Speaking about Cristiano Jr.’s development, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said his son’s physical growth had exceeded his own at the same stage of his career.
“He’s a good kid. The other ones are tougher, the ones at home, the small ones. This one is no problem,” Ronaldo said.
“When I was his age, he is a little bit bigger and stronger. I was smaller. I think he will be bigger than me.”
The football icon, however, stressed that natural ability and physical strength alone would not determine whether his son reaches the highest level of the sport.
When asked if Cristiano Jr. would have the same hunger and mentality that helped shape his own legendary career, Ronaldo admitted that ambition was the hardest quality to develop.
“Hunger is the most difficult,” he said.
Cristiano Jr., born on June 17, 2010, currently plays for the Al Nassr youth team and has followed his father’s footsteps into professional football.
Ronaldo, 41, remains one of the most decorated players in football history, with major honours including five UEFA Champions League titles, five Ballon d’Or awards, the 2016 European Championship with Portugal and league titles across England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
The forward is also the leading goalscorer in men’s international football and one of the sport’s most recognised figures globally.
With Cristiano Jr. now developing within the Al Nassr system, fans will continue to watch whether the next generation of Ronaldo can build a legacy of his own.
