Football players and clubs show support for Cristiano Ronaldo after newborn’s death

Famous football players and clubs have sent messages of love and support to Cristiano Ronaldo after he announced that his and Georgina Rodriguez’s newborn son has died.

Ronaldo, 37, and Rodriguez, 28, shared the news of their twin son’s passing on 18 April on social media. In the comments of the football player’s Instagram post, teams and football clubs that Ronaldo has played for sent their condolences.

“Your pain is our pain. Sending love and strength to you and the family at this time,” Manchester United, Ronaldo’s team, commented.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Georgina and the whole family during this time,” football club Juventus, which Ronaldo played for from 2018 to 2021, wrote.

On Monday, Ronaldo’s former team, Real Madrid, where he played forward from 2009 to 2018, issued a statement to show its “love and affection”.

“Real Madrid CF, its president and its Board of Directors deeply regret the death of one of the children that our beloved Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, were expecting,” the statement reads. “Real Madrid joins the pain of the whole family and wants to show them all our love and affection.”

Friends and legendary football players also expressed their support in the comments of Ronaldo’s post following the heartbreaking news.

“My friend, I send you my prayers and my feelings at this very difficult time,” former Brazilian football star Pelé wrote on Instagram. “May God comfort your hearts and enlighten every step of the way.”

“Much strength to you, your wife and all your family,” Marta Silva, football player for the Orlando Pride, wrote.

In a statement, Manchester United confirmed that Ronaldo would not be playing in the team’s upcoming game against Liverpool and acknowledged his “family’s request for privacy”.

“Family is more important than everything and Ronaldo is supporting his loved ones at this immensely difficult time,” the team said. “As such, we can confirm that he will not feature in the match against Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday evening and we underline the family’s request for privacy.”

Ronaldo and Rodriguez announced their son’s passing in a joint statement, where the couple wrote: “It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce our baby boy has passed away. It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel.”

“Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness,” they continued. The couple announced in October that they were expecting twins.

In their statement, the football star and Rodriguez thanked their “doctors and nurses for their expert care and support”.

“We are all devastated at this loss and we kindly ask for privacy at this very difficult time,” they concluded. “Our baby boy, you are our angel. We will always love you.”

The couple, who have been dating since 2016, share a three-year-old daughter, Alana Martina. The Manchester United star is also father to 11-year-old son Cristiano Jr and four-year-old twins, Eva Maria and Mateo.