"Smells like a warrior" - Cristiano Ronaldo's mother reacts to Portugal qualifying for the FIFA World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo's mother, Dolores Aveiro, has congratulated Portugal for securing qualification to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. She is also proud of her son's contributions to the team and has labeled him a "warrior."
The Euro 2016 winners secured a 2-0 win over North Macedonia in the playoff final in Porto on Tuesday.
Aveiro took to Instagram to post a picture of Ronaldo's match-worn Portuguese shirt with the following caption:
"Congratulations to Portugal for the victory and the passage to the World Cup. Thank you to my boy for the jersey that is very sweaty and still smells like my warrior."
Her Instagram post can be seen below:
Cristiano Ronaldo qualified for his fifth consecutive World Cup following Portugal's win over North Macedonia. A brace from Bruno Fernandes guided his national team to the showpiece tournament in Qatar later this year.
Portugal, however, took the harder route to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They finished runners-up to Serbia in their qualification group despite a strong showing from Ronaldo.
The 37-year-old forward scored six goals in the group phase, including a hat-trick against Luxembourg in October. However, he failed to score a single goal in the two corresponding playoff games.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will most likely be Ronaldo's last opportunity to lift international football's biggest honor. The Portuguese skipper is already 37 years old and would be well into his 40s by the time the 2026 edition of the tournament comes along.
Cristiano Ronaldo will be looking to end the season on a high after guiding Portugal to the World Cup
After guiding Portugal to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Manchester United. The forward is expected to play a vital role in helping the Red Devils qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.
As things stand, Manchester United are struggling to make it into the Premier League's top four. They are currently sixth in the standings, having picked up 50 points from 29 matches. The Red Devils are four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand over them.
@Cristiano 
#WorldCup 
😄 @Cristiano 🇵🇹
🔜 #WorldCup
#MUFC | @SelecaoPortugal https://t.co/KXzkWAIQxv
Ronaldo will be itching to end the season on a high note after failing to win a single trophy on his return to Old Trafford.
However, it is worth mentioning that the Portuguese superstar is currently Manchester United's leading goalscorer this season. He has netted 18 goals in 32 appearances for the club across all competitions.