A journalist asks Cristiano Ronaldo: “Why do you continue living with your mother despite being older?”

“My mother raised and sacrificed her life for me. She was starving so I could eat at night. We did not have money. My mother worked seven days a week and did extra cleaning work at night to help me buy a soccer ball, so I could pursue my dream of becoming a player. All my success is dedicated to her. And as long as I am alive, she will always be by my side and I will provide her with everything I can. My mother is my pillar of support and the greatest gift I have.

I firmly believe that wealth is not defined by money. In fact, there are some who are so poor that all they have is money. “True wealth is found in gratitude for the gifts and blessings of life.”

The tearful life of Ronaldo’s mother: she once wanted to run away from her own home, saving every penny to support her son’s passion.

Ronaldo once said that all his success is due to his mother. His mother is his refuge and the greatest gift he has.

December 8, 2022 Johnny Depp is 59 years old: from the divorce that shook the world to the most sought-after star in 2022 December 8, 2022 Ronaldo spoke about rumors of receiving £173 million per season in Saudi Arabia December 7, 2022 Reason why Ronaldo was the best substitute in Portugal’s match at the 2022 World Cup December 5, 2022 Ronaldo was selected in the “worst group stage” team of the 2022 World Cup December 3, 2022 Ronaldo actually yelled at him to the Portuguese coach after being replaced in the defeat against South Korea

In September 2021, an article about the relationship between the world’s second-richest player, Cristiano Ronaldo, and his mother appeared on Quora, attracting widespread attention. In the article there is a paragraph:

“A journalist asked Cristiano Ronaldo: Why do you continue living with your mother when you are older?

Cristiano Ronaldo responded: My mother raised me and sacrificed her life for me. She slept hungry so I could eat something at night. We do not have money. My mother worked 7 days a week and worked as a cleaner at night to help me buy soccer practice balls, so I could keep my dream of becoming a soccer player alive. All my success is dedicated to her. And as long as I am alive, she will always be by my side and will have everything I can give her. My mother is my refuge and my greatest gift. I believe that money does not make a person rich. In fact, some people are so poor that all they have is money. “True wealth is found in gratitude for the gifts and blessings of life.”

For Ronaldo, mother is everything. Without Mrs. Dolores’ efforts to care for her, Ronaldo would not be successful today.

The mother plays a very important role in Ronaldo’s career. Photo: Getty.

Dark childhood in a poor fishing village

His mother, María Dolores Spinola Do Santos da Aveiro, was born on December 31, 1954 in the fishing port of Canical, one of the poorest areas of the island of Madeira. In Dolores’ memory, her childhood was a series of days living in hell on earth.

Ronaldo’s grandmother died of a heart attack at the age of 37, leaving behind a family of five children and an irresponsible husband.

Ronaldo’s grandfather, Viveiro, had almost no stable income. Instead of trying to raise five children, she only gave love to one. The remaining 4 people, including Mrs. Dolores, were sent to a local convent. There she lived in solitude, missing her parents, mixed with terrible punishments such as spanking, weeding for hours in the sun or having her head covered with a bag.

“I tried to escape from there twice but I failed,” he recalled. Even the monastery that adopted Dolores always classified her as a group of children with rebellious behavior and abnormal minds.

Mrs. Dolores always takes good care of Ronaldo’s extended family. Photo: Getty.

When she was 9 years old, she was returned to her family. At that time, Mr. Viveiro remarried a woman who also had five children of her own. I thought that life outside the monastery would change, but it did not. Her father and stepmother beat her constantly.

Dolores ran away from her own home many times but the police brought her back. In fact, the father and stepmother do not want this child back. Mr. Viveiro also wanted to place his daughter in a center for children with mental disabilities. The director of the center refused to accept the reprimand: Why did you act like this? Your daughter is completely normal.

At the age of 13, Dolores left school to stay home and help the family. Every day she has to get up at 5 in the morning to weave baskets and take them to the market to sell. All the accumulated money is in the hands of the stepmother. Frustrated by a humiliating life, Dolores always wanted to find a way out.

Great mother

At the age of 18, she married José Dinis Aveiro (later Ronaldo’s father) and had 3 children by the time she was 22. The turning point occurred for the family when she was pregnant with Ronaldo in 1985. “He was the child I wanted to throw away,” said María Dolores in her autobiography “Madre Valiente” published in 2014.

Her wish to have an abortion was unsuccessful and she finally decided to give birth to Ronaldo. To make ends meet for a family of four children and an alcoholic husband, Ronaldo’s mother and sister had to work as kitchen help all day to make ends meet. That’s why little Ronaldo had to follow his mother all day.

Coupled with the kitchen environment, that can’t stop the skinny kid’s dream of playing football. Any object can become Ronaldo’s ball. Always think of different ways to handle your own “balls.”

On her youngest son’s afternoon, Mrs. Dolores deducted a little money from the family’s shopping allowance every day to save and buy a suitable soccer ball for her son. “I still feel the joy of the child receiving the gift, radiating from his eyes.”

Without understanding much about football, but when she brought Ronaldo his first significant gift, Mrs. Dolores believed that at least the boy would change his life with that ball. She always supported Cristiano in his soccer game and then did all the household chores herself so that her son could dedicate all his time to his passion for playing soccer.

In every glorious moment, Ronaldo wants to share it with his mother. Photo: Internet

Even when Ronaldo and his wife gave birth, she also took care of CR7’s little family. It can be said that without the silent and noble sacrifices of his mother, Ronaldo certainly would not be able to achieve the success he has today.

So he always finds a way to make it up to his mother. He always took his mother with him on long trips on a private jet, buying her expensive gifts. Every month, Ronaldo pays £4,800 just for Mrs Dolores and her friends to fly to Cape Verde to swim. Ronaldo once bought his mother a car worth £100,000. A few years later, Dolores was seen taking photographs with another new car worth £250,000. In addition, there are branded items from the world’s leading fashion stores.