Cristiano Ronaldo's mother proudly watches on as Portugal legend's son, 14, prepares to make his international debut and follow in father's footsteps

Cristiano Ronaldo's parent proudly watched connected from the sidelines arsenic her grandson warmed up earlier being named connected the seat for Portugal's U15s clash against Japan connected Tuesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo Jr trained with Portugal's younker ranks for the archetypal clip this week and volition anticipation to travel connected to marque his archetypal quality for the U15s broadside successful Croatia.

The 14-year-old youngster, who plays for the younker academy of his father's Saudi Pro League nine Al-Nassr, is eligible to correspond a big of nations including Spain and the USA.

Although helium volition not officially perpetrate his aboriginal to a state until helium makes a elder quality astatine planetary level, it looks arsenic though Ronaldo Jr is favouring Portugal aft being called up for their younker side, pursuing successful his father's footsteps.

Manchester United and Real Madrid fable Ronaldo, 40, represented the Portugal U15s connected 9 occasions successful 2001 earlier rapidly accelerating done the younker ranks.

He went connected to go Portugal's all-time starring goalscorer with 136 goals from 219 appearances, winning the European Championship successful 2016 and Nations League successful 2019.

Keen to witnesser her household proceed the legacy, Ronaldo's mother Maria Dolores watched connected from the sidelines arsenic her grandson geared up for the match, which is portion of the Vlatko Markovic tourney staged successful Croatia.

Smiling arsenic helium trained and warmed up with team-mates, she was pictured sporting Ronaldo's iconic 2010 World Cup jersey.

With the Al-Nassr superstar acceptable to discontinue successful the adjacent fewer years, determination volition beryllium plentifulness of unit connected Ronaldo Jr's shoulders to travel successful his father's footsteps erstwhile the baton is passed implicit fully.

The young striker, affectionally known arsenic Cristianinho, was 1 of 22 teenagers who were listed to diagnostic astatine the tourney by manager Joao Santos.

During an earlier grooming league with Portugal's U15s this week, Ronaldo Jr was spotted wearing CR7 Nike Mercurials arsenic good arsenic Kylian Mbappe's latest Nike boots.

Before impressing astatine Al-Nassr, the 14-year-old was antecedently a portion of the younker academies astatine Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United — each of his father's erstwhile teams.

Despite turning 40 successful February, the Ballon d'Or victor has admitted successful the past helium would similar to play connected the aforesaid transportation arsenic his son.

The seasoned subordinate said recently: 'I would similar it, I would similar it. It's not thing that keeps maine awake astatine nighttime but we'll see.'

He added: ' It's much successful his hands than mine. The years are starting to spell by and 1 time I'll person to fto it go. There volition travel a clip erstwhile it is nary longer possible. Not lone physically but besides psychologically.'

Speaking astir his son's footballing aboriginal to Portuguese paper Record helium added: 'He volition travel his path, his career. I volition beryllium a arrogant father, I volition beryllium arrogant of what helium wants to do.

'If helium plays, 'top'. If helium doesn't play, we tried. At slightest his begetter tried. But it won't beryllium a occupation either, successful my opinion.'