Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez have announced the death of their baby boy, saying it is the “greatest pain that any parents can feel”.
The Manchester United striker had announced that his partner was expecting twins in October. While their daughter survived, sadly their son did not.
In a statement on social media, they said: “It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away”.
“We are all devastated at this loss and we kindly ask for privacy at this very difficult time”.
They said the birth of their daughter “gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness”.
“Our baby boy, you are our angel. We will always love you”, they wrote.
Pundit Gary Lineker commented: “Terribly sad news. Sincere condolences to you and your family”.
Manchester United teammate and England international footballer Marcus Rashford also paid tribute, saying on Twitter: “Thoughts are with you and Georgina brother. I’m so sorry”.
Jamaican world-record sprinter Usain Bolt, who is a United fan, replied to Ronaldo’s Instagram post with three praying emojis.
“He is a child that I wanted to abort”.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, Ronaldo almost never made it out of the womb. The footballer’s mother, Maria Dolores, admitted that when she fell pregnant with Cristiano, she did not want another child.
She said in a documentary: “He is a child that I wanted to abort”.
“God didn’t want that to happen and I was blessed because of that”.
“Sometimes Ronaldo makes fun of me and says ‘You didn’t want me to be born. But now you see that I’m here helping all of you.’ And, well, sometimes we have a laugh about that”.
Right To Life UK spokesperson, Catherine Robinson, said: “Child loss during or after pregnancy is a great tragedy. This remains the case whether the child is wanted or unwanted”.
“The smallest of babies, including those who sadly live the briefest of lives, are human beings with dignity. As Ronaldo himself said, losing a child “is the greatest pain that any parents can feel”.
