Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo believes his eldest son, Cristiano Jr., has the potential to surpass his achievements in football, saying the teenager is already physically ahead of where he was at the same age.
The 41-year-old made the remarks in a video shared by Netflix Sports while watching his 16-year-old son train with the Al Nassr youth team.
Ronaldo said Cristiano Jr. has developed physically beyond where he was as a teenager and believes he could eventually become bigger and stronger.
“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.”
Despite praising his son’s physical development, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner stressed that talent and physique alone are not enough to succeed at the highest level.
Asked whether Cristiano Jr. possessed the same drive that propelled him to the top of world football, Ronaldo pointed to mentality as the defining factor.
“Hunger is the most difficult,” he said.
Cristiano Jr., who was born on June 17, 2010, currently plays for Al Nassr’s youth team as he continues his football development.
Ronaldo has enjoyed one of the most successful careers in the history of the sport, winning five Ballon d’Or awards, five UEFA Champions League titles and the 2016 European Championship with Portugal.
The veteran forward has also won league titles in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia and remains the highest goalscorer in men’s international football.
As Cristiano Jr. continues his development in Al Nassr’s academy, attention will remain on whether he can forge his own path in the game and potentially eclipse the remarkable career of his father.
