Can Ronaldo's son reach his father's level?

Vlatko-Markovic U15 is an annual international football tournament for U15s, held in Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia. The tournament is quite prestigious, attracting many major football backgrounds in the world . However, this is still a youth tournament and takes place in a very remote place, so the media and fans hardly hear about it.

This year was different. In addition to players’ families, agents, and scouts, there were hundreds of local fans, both young and old. The tournament was also all over the media and social media. The reason was that Cristiano Ronaldo was there.

Of course, it's not Cristiano Ronaldo who plays for Al-Nassr. It's Cristiano Ronaldo Junior, the 40-year-old superstar's 14-year-old son, who has been called up to the Portugal U15s after his outstanding form for the Al-Nassr youth team.

Ronaldo's son in Portugal U15 jersey.

There is no shortage of sons of football legends, from Edinho Pele and Jordi Cruyff to Stephan Beckenbauer and Enzo Zidane. Few have reached the level of their fathers, or even disappointed. The pressure from their famous fathers has left them struggling to prove themselves, and ultimately failing.

Perhaps to avoid pressure from the beginning, Ronaldo's son used the name Cristiano dos Santos to print on the number 7 shirt, the number associated with his father Ronaldo at MU, Real, Juventus and now Al-Nassr.

But even so, he was easily recognised. Many Croatian children had travelled all the way to Sveti Martin na Muri, then shouted "Ronaldo" as he stepped off the bus. Security guards whispered "that's Ronaldo", and the organising committee staff emphasized the word Ronaldo when Cristiano dos Santos was read out on the team sheet. The overzealousness caused chaos at the end of the match, angering the Portuguese under-15 team manager.

Cristiano dos Santos and grandmother Dolores Aveiro.

In the stands, his grandmother, Dolores Aveiro, was also easily recognizable. Local fans surrounded her, asking for photos, even when she went to the bathroom. Photographers, whose main job was to record the match, did not forget to follow the pair, making sure not to miss any special moves.

Then came the match between Portugal U15 and Japan. Cristiano dos Santos came on in the 52nd minute, after warming up on the sidelines to the cheers of young fans. He didn’t make any significant impact, such as scoring or assisting, in the 4-1 win, but he did provide a glimpse of Ronaldo’s son’s talent.

After many years under his father's guidance, Cristiano dos Santos has very good technique, easily defeating one or two opponents with the moves that Ronaldo used to show. He also shows a desire to win, maybe not as obsessive as his father, but enough to make him rush into disputes, trying to win the ball back as soon as it is lost. With a height that stands out compared to his teammates, Cristiano dos Santos often dominates aerial battles, something that Ronaldo has always been very good at.

Cristiano dos Santos in the match between Portugal U15 and Japan.

There are differences, though. Cristiano dos Santos prefers to keep the ball, play slowly and move elegantly, and observe and coordinate with his teammates rather than rush into the box.

But it is difficult to confirm that Cristiano dos Santos will form with this style. Remember that Ronaldo at MU and Ronaldo at Real are very different versions. Moreover, these are only the first matches in the professional career that has not yet formed for Ronaldo's son.

As Portugal U15 coach Joao Santos says, the players at Sveti Martin na Muri all have potential and promise. However, how far they can go depends on many factors. One of them is professionalism and self-motivation. If Cristiano dos Santos inherits these qualities from his father Ronaldo, his future will be very bright.

Thanh Hai

Source: https://tienphong.vn/con-trai-ronaldo-lieu-co-the-dat-den-dang-cap-cua-bo-post1742461.tpo