Cristiano Ronaldo once promised his father that he would try to earn money so that his family would not have to live in poverty. Now that he has everything, CR7 is no longer able to be with his father, who passed away when he was only 10 years old.
After signing a contract with MU, Cristiano Ronaldo has gradually risen to become one of the world’s top stars, from MU to Real Madrid, Juventus, back to MU and now Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia), each team CR7 has passed through, leaving a strong impression. Even now, when wearing the Al Nassr shirt, Ronaldo has become the highest-paid player in the world…
Unfortunately, Ronaldo’s fulfilling career was tinged with sadness when his father, José Dinis Aveiro, could not witness his son’s success as he passed away in 2005 from liver cancer due to long-term alcoholism.
In an interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo burst into tears when looking back at the rare film about his father, he said:
“I really don’t understand everything about my father, he is always drunk and it’s not easy to have a normal conversation between father and son.”
Ronaldo said he rarely has a normal conversation with his father.
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Ronaldo’s father was a soldier, having fought in the Angolan war to stop local rebels from breaking out and escorting food trucks through bomb-strewn roads.
Living conditions were horrendous, with soldiers starving and food supplies in short supply. Disease and hunger were constant threats to the men in the camps, who were confined to sickbeds with bouts of malaria.
Mr. Aveiro, naturally affected by this, was no longer a healthy man, his haggard appearance was clearly visible when he returned to his family after the war.
Ronaldo’s father returned from the war looking haggard.
Even after the war ended, maintaining a peaceful life from day to day was really difficult for Aveiro and his former comrades.
Jose Manuel Coelho, a man who experienced the war alongside Aveiro, shared with ESPN: “They had no jobs, no money to buy food to live on, it was so harsh, many people turned to alcohol to forget their boredom and Aveiro was like that.”
“Not only that, Aveiro’s friends also bought him alcohol to drink, he did not live properly, did not eat properly and regularly.”
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Mr. Aveiro eventually found a job at Andorinha, a team that Ronaldo played for. CR7 was once laughed at by his teammates and friends because his father had a mediocre job, but this was what motivated the young Portuguese player at that time to strive to become number 1.
Mr. Ronaldo found a job at the team where Ronaldo used to play.
Ronaldo’s father was still the same, he had a job, but all that money was spent on drinking, and day by day, he could not avoid his cruel fate.
Mr. Aveiro died in September 2005, from liver cancer, Ronaldo tried to save his father, however, money could not restore the life of a man who was always drunk.
Ronaldo was with his father at the time, and promised that he would become one of the best players in the world.
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It is a fact that Mr. Aveiro never doubted his son’s ability, that CR7 would become a world football superstar.
“Every time we met, Dinis insisted that Ronaldo would one day become the best player in the world,” said a friend of Mr. Aveiro. “At that time, everyone thought it was a myth and laughed. But Dinis never thought it was a joke.”
While CR7 was having a budding career at MU, Mr. Aveiro became more and more private, and did not want anyone to know about his life and health. He did not want his son to neglect training because of him.
When CR7 became famous, Mr. Aveiro could not witness his son’s success.
Now that Cristiano Ronaldo has become one of the best stars in the world, Mr. Aveiro passed away without witnessing the successes and titles that his son has achieved, but, in the other world, perhaps he can always be proud that his only son is at the top just like what he predicted when he was alive.
