Cristiano Ronaldo’s son, Cristiano Ronaldo Júnior, has officially begun his international journey making his Portugal Under-16 debut in a 2-0 win over hosts Turkey on Thursday in Antalya.
With Portugal already leading through goals from Sporting CP’s Samuel Tavares and SC Braga’s Rafael Cabral, Ronaldo Júnior entered the field in stoppage time to mark his maiden appearance at the U16 level.
The 15-year-old forward, who currently plays for Al Nassr’s youth academy in Saudi Arabia, the same club where his father stars, has been steadily rising through Portugal’s junior ranks. Earlier this year, he featured and scored for the U15 team, earning praise for his composure and attacking instincts.
Thursday’s clash was the first of three matches for Portugal in the Federations Cup Tournament, where they will next face Wales on Saturday before concluding against England on Monday.
While his cameo was brief, Ronaldo Júnior’s debut carried symbolic weight, another generation of the Ronaldo name wearing Portugal’s colours, beginning his journey in the footsteps of one of football’s greatest icons.
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