The legacy of Cristiano Ronaldo continues to cast a long shadow, and now, his son has begun to step out into the limelight. Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, just 14 years old, made his debut for Portugal’s Under-15 national team this week at the Vlatko Markovic tournament in Croatia, drawing a crowd of scouts from across Europe. Among them was one club with a particularly historic link to the Ronaldo name — Manchester United — along with Champions League finalists Inter and eight other top teams who opted to keep their intentions quiet, at least for now.
Ronaldo Jr’s first appearance in national team colors may not have been headline-grabbing on the pitch, but the symbolism of the moment wasn’t lost on anyone. Wearing the iconic No. 7 shirt, the young forward entered the match as a second-half substitute during Portugal’s 4-1 win over Japan.
For Manchester United, this wasn’t their first glimpse of Ronaldo Jr. The teenager previously played at Carrington during his father’s second stint at the club in 2021-22. Fans will remember viral moments of him mimicking his father’s famous “Siuu” celebration, already drawing attention to his early talent.
According to The Sun, the Red Devils’ interest hasn’t waned. Under new ownership led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS group, United has doubled down on its commitment to youth recruitment. The club has already snapped up rising prospects like Chido Obi and Sekou Kone, and Ronaldo Jr.’s performance is now being closely monitored as part of that same vision.
“Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to sign ‘the next Mbappe’, and there’s no place better to look than Ronaldo’s son,” reports The Sun.
Inter, Tottenham, and Bundesliga giants among the crowd
While Manchester United’s presence caught headlines, they weren’t alone. Their Europa League final opponent, Tottenham, also dispatched scouts to Croatia. Their interest adds another layer of intrigue given Ronaldo Sr.’s infamous 2022 clash with Spurs, when he stormed off the pitch after being benched — an incident he later admitted he regretted.
“Piers, I will be honest with you, it’s something that I regret… but in the same way, I felt provoked by the coach,” the five-time Ballon d’Or winner told Piers Morgan Uncensored at the time.
In addition to United, Spurs, and Inter, a host of Bundesliga and Serie A giants were also reportedly in attendance: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Hoffenheim, Red Bull Salzburg, Juventus, and Atalanta, as per Croatian outlet Sportske Novosti.
Still, despite the anticipation around the young prodigy, he wasn’t the standout performer on the night. That honor went to Rafael Cabral, a 14-year-old striker from Braga, who bagged a sensational hat-trick before the Al-Nassr forward’s son even stepped onto the field.
