“Happy first year of life my love” - Cristiano Ronaldo sends message to daughter on birthday
Cristiano Ronaldo sent his daughter a heartfelt message on Instagram to celebrate her first birthday.
The Portuguese icon posted a snap of himself holding Bella in his arms with a grin on his face. He captioned the heartwarming image:
"Happy first year of life my love. Daddy loves you very much!"
Ronaldo, 38, and his partner Georgina Rodriguez, 29, gave birth to Bella on April 18, 2022. She was born in a hospital in Manchester but her male twin sibling, Angel, unfortunately died during birth. The couple explained in a statement on Instagram that Bella's birth gave them strength in their moment of need:
“Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness.“
Ronaldo's family now resides in Riyadh after the iconic forward's groundbreaking move to Al Nassr in January. They're loving life in Saudi Arabia, as the former Real Madrid and Manchester United legend has taken to Saudi football with ease.
The legendary striker has bagged 11 goals and two assists in 12 games since arriving at Mrsool Park. His family have been alongside him every step of the way.
Cristiano Ronaldo explained in November last year that there were concerns regarding Bella's health when she came down with bronchitis. He missed Manchester United's pre-season tour due to the same reason (via N-TV):
"During my vacation, my youngest daughter, Bella Esmeralda, had bronchitis. It was complicated; we were in the hospital for a week."
However, Bella made a recovery and is now regularly seen in loving pictures posted by Ronaldo and Rodriguez on their Instagram accounts.
Cristiano Ronaldo thanks Al Nassr for celebrating his international appearance-making achievement
Cristiano Ronaldo became the most-capped men's international player when he featured in Portugal's 4-0 win over Liechtenstein on March 23. The legendary forward was on the scoresheet twice, including a superb free-kick effort in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier.
It was his 197th appearance for Selecao das Quinas after earning his first cap in 2003 aged 18. His Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr recognised his achievement and celebrated the feat. Ronaldo responded to their festivities in celebrating his record-breaking appearance with a post on Instagram, captioning it:
"Thank you to (Al Nassr) and my teammates for celebrating with me this achievement of becoming the most capped men’s international player."
Ronaldo won the European Championships with Portugal in 2016. He's the all-time leading international goalscorer with 122 goals in 198 appearances.