Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo is a name that hardly needs an introduction. He is the captain of his national side, Portugal, and is considered one of the greatest footballers in the world. All too familiar with triumph, Ronaldo is now living through a tragedy.
Ronaldo and his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, announced that they were expecting twins in October 2021. On Monday, April 18, the couple made a heartbreaking announcement on social media. They announced that while their newborn girl was doing well, her twin brother had died during birth. The family is going through a tough time, and they are yet to disclose the name of their newborn daughter.
People offers additional details on this terrible loss. Ronaldo and Rodriguez have described themselves as “devastated” and are asking for privacy as they cope with the death of their son. Ronaldo has also thanked the couple’s medical team for “their expert care and support.”
Their baby girl joins four siblings. Alana, aged 4, is the daughter of Ronaldo and Rodriguez. Twins Mateo and Eva, also aged 4, were born via surrogate. Ronaldo’s oldest son, Cristiano Jr., is 11, and his mother’s identity is unknown. In 2015, the athlete announced he would share this information with his firstborn because he “deserves it” and not to satisfy public curiosity.
In 2017, Ronaldo told Hola! Magazine that fatherhood had “softened” him. He explained it had given him new perspectives, and he called watching his family grow a great privilege. This was after meeting Georgina Rodriguez in 2016 and beginning his relationship with her shortly after. Their first child, Alana Martina, was born in November of 2017. Fraternal twins Mateo and Eva joined the family in June of the same year.
CNN reported on some of the condolences pouring in for the grieving family. Manchester United tweeted from their official Twitter account, “Your pain is our pain,” and conveyed their “love and strength” to the grieve-stricken family. The English Premier League assured the star their thoughts “are with you and your family.” Ronaldo’s Manchester United teammate, Marcus Rashford, called him his “brother” in his tweet and expressed his sympathy.
