Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez are finding “hope and happiness” after the birth of their daughter and amid mourning the loss of their newborn son.
On April 18, 2022, the soccer star shared on Instagram that one of the couple’s newborn twins, a baby boy, had died.
Nearly a year later, fans saw Rodriguez open up about that day in a trailer for season 2 of her Netflix series, I am Georgina.
“Over 40 million people follow me, but no one knows how I really feel. This year, I had the best and the worst moment of my life in an instant,” she said, adding that Ronaldo “encouraged” her to start enjoying life again after the heavy loss. “Life is hard. Life goes on. I have reasons to move on and be strong.”
Ronaldo became a dad in 2010 with the birth of his first son, also named Cristiano. It wouldn’t be until seven years later that Ronaldo would grow his family, first welcoming twins via surrogate and then a child with Rodriguez. Then, in October 2021, the pair announced that they were expecting twins — a boy and a girl — in April 2022.
Ronaldo has said, “Becoming a parent and raising my family is honestly the greatest privilege I’ve had.”
Here, we take a look at his family.
Born June 17, 2010, Cristiano Jr. is named after his soccer star dad. Ronaldo has never disclosed the identity of his firstborn’s mother, telling Jonathan Ross in 2015, “Some points in life are private and people have to respect the privacy. When Cristiano is going to grow up, I am always going to say the truth to him because he deserves it, because he is my son. But I am not going to say [it just] because people want me to say.”
His statements in 2015 echoed those that the soccer star made at the time of his son’s birth.
Ronaldo tweeted, “It is with great joy and emotion that I inform I have recently become father to a baby boy. As agreed with the baby’s mother, who prefers to have her identity kept confidential, my son will be under my exclusive guardianship. I request everyone to fully respect my right to privacy (and that of the child) at least on issues as personal as these are.”
Now nearly 12 years old, Cristiano Jr. is taking after his father in more than just looks — he plays soccer just like Dad!
In June 2017, Ronaldo welcomed twins Eva and Mateo via surrogate, sharing the happy news of their arrival in a Facebook post captioned, “So happy to be able to hold the two new loves of my life 🙏❤.”
Months before the twins’ arrival, Ronaldo began dating model Georgina Rodriguez, with the pair making their first public appearance at the Best FIFA Football Awards in January 2017.
Ronaldo and Rodriguez celebrated the twins’ 6th birthday in June 2023. The dual party included a mermaid-themed cake for Eva and a soccer-themed cake for Mateo.
“Many congratulations my loves! Daddy is very proud of y’all,” the pro soccer player captioned a family photo on Instagram.
Weeks after the arrival of twins Eva and Mateo, in July 2017, Ronaldo announced that he and girlfriend Rodriguez were expecting. The pair welcomed their first baby together, Ronaldo’s fourth, on Nov. 12, 2017.
In October 2021, Ronaldo announced that he and Rodriguez were expecting twins. The Manchester United soccer player shared the news alongside a photo of himself lying in bed with Rodríguez while holding up ultrasound photos.
In April 2022, Ronaldo shared the heartbreaking news that one of the couple’s twins, a baby boy, had died.
“It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away. It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel,” Ronaldo wrote. “Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness.”
Ronaldo continued by thanking their doctors and nurses for “all their expert care and support.”
“We are all devastated at this loss and we kindly ask for privacy at this very difficult time. Our baby boy, you are our angel. We will always love you,” he concluded the post, signed by him and Rodríguez.
On Nov. 15, 2022, Ronaldo opened up about the moment he told his older children that while the baby girl, Bella, was born healthy but her twin brother, Ángel, had died.
“Gio arrived home and the kids start to say where’s the other baby, where’s the other baby?” Ronaldo said in an interview with Piers Morgan.
“The kids start to say ‘Mom, where is the other baby….’ ” the athlete continued. “After one week I say, ‘Let’s be upfront, and let’s be honest with the kids, let’s say that, Ángel, which is his name, he go to the Heaven.’ “
Ronaldo says that the family talks about Ángel every day. “The kids understand, we had shouts around the table and they say ‘Daddy I did this for Ángel’ and they point to the sky. Which I like the most because he’s part of their lives. I am not gonna lie to my kids, I say the truth, which was a difficult process.”
On Feb. 12, 2023, Rodríguez shared a photo of her youngest wearing a cute black sweater and ruffled white shirt as she sat on Ronaldo’s lap.
“That look, so strong and delicate, that God has given you. Love them,” the proud mom captioned the snap.
“Just like dad. My love 🥰,” Ronaldo responded in the comments.