Ronaldo dedicates Al Nassr winner to late father
How Cristiano Ronaldo honored his late father (0:46)
Watch as Cristiano Ronaldo honors his late father by dedicating his goal scored against Al Rayyan. (0:46)
October 1, 2024, 4:39 AM Eastern Time
Cristiano Ronaldo dedicated his goal, which helped Al Nassr secure a 2-1 victory over Al Rayyan in the AFC Champions League on Monday, to his deceased father.
The captain of Portugal netted the decisive goal just 14 minutes before the end of the match, on what would have been his father Jose Dinis Aveiro's 71st birthday.
At 39 years old, Ronaldo raised his arms and gazed skyward in celebration after scoring, honoring the memory of his father, who died from liver failure in 2005 during Ronaldo's third season with Manchester United.
"Today felt different for me; I really wish my dad were here to celebrate his birthday," Ronaldo shared with deep emotion after the match.
His father never got to witness Ronaldo winning five Champions League trophies, earning five Ballon d'Or awards, or leading Portugal to victory in the Euro 2016 tournament.
Ronaldo, who made history last month as the first male player to reach 900 goals, mentioned that he doesn't have "a lot of time remaining" in his playing career.
"I continue to enjoy playing football, and I'm aware that my time on the field is limited," he remarked.
"Breaking records has become a natural part of who I am. For me, it's not about being labeled the best player or collecting awards. What truly matters is having fun and being a positive asset to both my club and the national team."
"From day one, I've experienced a sense of pressure, and I believe it will continue right up to the finish."
Since joining Al Nassr in December 2022 following a controversial departure from Manchester United, Ronaldo has secured only one trophy: the Arab Club Champions Cup.
The ex-Real Madrid player has a deal with Al Nassr that runs until June 2025. Currently, Al Nassr is sitting in fourth place in the Saudi Pro League after playing five matches, and they will be facing Al-Orobah FC this Saturday.
