MY MOTHER WENT HUNGRY SO I COULD EAT, WORKED AS CLEANER AT NIGHT TO BUY MY FIRST BOOTS — RONALDO
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By ‘Sefiu Ajape
Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has recalled the difficult circumstances of his childhood, revealing how his mother sacrificed and worked as a cleaner at night to support his dream of becoming a professional footballer.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Ronaldo reflected on his impoverished upbringing in Portugal, long before he became a global football icon at Manchester United and Real Madrid.
The 41-year-old forward is currently in the latter stages of his career in Saudi Arabia and is 21 goals away from reaching the remarkable milestone of 1,000 career goals.
Despite achieving enormous success and winning almost every major honour available to him, Ronaldo said his journey began with very little.
Reflecting on his childhood in Madeira, Ronaldo said: “My mother sacrificed her life for me. She went hungry so I could eat. We had nothing.”
He recalled spending his childhood playing football on the streets with his friends, saying: “I just played football with friends on the streets of Madeira. When I say streets, I don’t mean an empty alley, I mean the actual streets. We had no goals, nothing, and we had to stop playing every time a car passed by. I was happy like that.”
Ronaldo also spoke about his mother’s sacrifices to help him pursue football, revealing: “She worked seven days a week as a cleaner at night, just to buy me my first pair of football boots so I could become a player. All my success is dedicated to her. As long as I live, she will always be by my side, and I will give her everything I can. She is my refuge and my greatest gift.”
From playing football on the streets of Madeira to becoming one of the most decorated and recognisable footballers in history, Ronaldo continues to credit his mother’s sacrifices as a major part of his journey.
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