Headline: Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. Debuts for Portugal U17 Team Following Father’s Retirement
The name Ronaldo continues to shine brightly within Portuguese football. Even after Cristiano Ronaldo’s official retirement from the Portugal national team, his legacy persists as his eldest son made his debut with the Portuguese under-17 team. This significant event took place during a convincing 4-0 victory over Andorra on Thursday.
Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. was selected for the 23-player squad that played in the first qualifying round for the 2027 Under-17 European Championship, which was announced on November 2. His inclusion came just days before his father’s announcement regarding the conclusion of a remarkable 23-year international career, featuring 146 goals across 234 matches.
The young forward had already achieved impressive outcomes with the youth national teams prior to his U17 debut. He demonstrated his talent by scoring a brace in the final of a tournament with the under-15 team, which his squad successfully clinched. Later, during his tenure with the under-16 team, he participated in two competitions and netted three goals in nine appearances.
On this occasion, Ronaldo Jr. entered the match in the 73rd minute, when Portugal had already secured their win. The goals for the team came from Diego Farinha (Sporting CP) who scored twice, Kauã Miranda (Santos) from the penalty spot, and Rafael Cabral (SC Braga).
During his debut, at just 16 years old, Ronaldo Jr. nearly marked a memorable entry by generating a clear scoring opportunity late in the game, although his header went wide of the target. Despite not finding the net in his first minutes with the team, he will have future opportunities to score as the under-17 squad has additional matches lined up.
Next, Portugal will face Bulgaria in the Portuguese capital this Saturday, followed by a match on November 17 against Serbia to conclude their series of matches.
