VIDEO: Like father like son! Cristiano Jr follows in dad Cristiano Ronaldo's footsteps by scoring first-ever goal for Portugal U16s with clinical finish

Cristiano Jr followed in his father Cristiano Ronaldo's footsteps by scoring his first-ever goal for Portugal U16s with a clinical finish in the coastal Turkish city of Antalya. The 15-year-old son of one of football’s greatest icons opened the scoring in Portugal’s 3-0 triumph over Wales.

A legacy awakened in Antalya

Portugal’s Under-16 side are enjoying a rich vein of form, claiming their second straight win of the Federations Cup tournament following a 2-0 victory over Turkey in their opener. In the 42nd minute, Carlos Moita slipped in a perfect ball, and young Cristiano, showing the poise and precision that runs in the family, fired a low right-footed strike into the far corner. Rafael Cabral doubled the lead in the 65th minute, before sealing the result with a second goal deep into injury time. But all eyes were on the young man affectionately called Cristianinho. After years of being seen as “Cristiano Ronaldo’s son,” he’s now beginning to carve out his own reputation. 

AdvertisementWatch the clipA football journey across continents

The young forward’s football education has been as global as his father’s career. Having spent time in the youth academies of Real Madrid and Juventus, Cristiano Jr. is now part of Al-Nassr’s academy setup in Saudi Arabia, where his father continues to shine in the Saudi Pro League. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has always spoken openly about his son’s footballing potential. But he’s also been careful to balance praise with perspective.

"He’s very competitive, like me when I was young, and he doesn’t like to lose," he said. "I don’t make big pressure; I make a little. He already has pressure being the son of Cristiano. Let him make his own mistakes, but I hope that in the future he can become a professional player."

Earlier this year, he dazzled for Portugal’s Under-15s at the Vlatko Markovic Tournament in Croatia, scoring twice in the final to lead his team to a 3-2 win over the hosts. It is a tough job growing up as the son of Ronaldo. Every touch, every goal, especially every miss, will inevitably be compared to his father’s glittering career. The elder Ronaldo’s legacy on the international stage is simply staggering, as he has scored 143 goals in 225 appearances for Portugal, the most in history. He guided Portugal to their maiden European Championship triumph in 2016 and to two subsequent UEFA Nations League crowns in 2019 and 2025. For Ronaldo Jr., the challenge isn’t to replicate that record but to forge his own. Yet, if Saturday’s goal was any indication, he’s walking that path with remarkable confidence.

AFPRonaldo continues to shine in Saudi Arabia

While his son was making headlines in Turkey, Ronaldo Sr. was busy writing another chapter of his own story in Saudi Arabia. The 40-year-old once again came to Al-Nassr’s rescue, scoring twice, including a last-minute penalty, to secure a 2-1 comeback win over Al-Feiha. It was a fitting parallel as father and son both found the net for club and country within hours of each other. Whereas, next up for Portugal’s U-16s is a clash with England on November 4.