Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the world’s best and highest paid athletes in the world, plus he’s officially the most followed user on Instagram with over 397 million followers.
But while football fans can’t get enough of Ronaldo’s process on the field, his life outside of sport is equally intriguing.
For seven years, Ronaldo only had one son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.
Then — over just five months in 2017 — his brood blossomed to four, expanding again to six in 2022 before a family tragedy.
Taking to Instagram in October 2021, the football superstar and girlfriend Georgina Rodríguez announced that they were expecting not one but two new additions to the family.
“Delighted to announce we are expecting twins👶🏻👶🏻. Our hearts are full of love – we can’t wait to meet you ❤️🏠#blessed,” Cristiano captioned two photos of himself and Georgina with their ultrasound scan and another of the proud dad with his four eldest kids.
The pair announced they were expecting twins.
(Image: Instagram)The babies – a boy and a girl – arrived in April 2022, but the football star’s newborn son died shortly after Georgina gave birth.
Sharing the heartbreaking news online, Cristiano wrote: “It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away. It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel.
“Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness. We would like to thank the doctors and nurses for all their expert care and support.”
The grieving father added: “We are all devastated at this loss and we kindly ask for privacy at this very difficult time. Our baby boy, you are our angel. We will always love you.”
Ronaldo shared a post welcoming his baby daughter to the family, while thanking supporters for their well wishes.
(Image: Instagram)
Cristiano with his four eldest children.
(Image: Instagram)While we know Georgina is the mum of his youngest bubs Alana Martina, the other two mothers of his children remain a mystery.
We explore Ronaldo’s enigmatic family dynamic and why a young, straight millionaire like Ronaldo decided to use a surrogate.
Who is Cristiano Ronaldo Jr’s mum?
Ronaldo’s oldest son is known as Cristianinho, or little Cristiano.
The 12-year-old was born in San Diego in June 2010, while Ronaldo was dating model Irina Shayk.
“It is with great joy and emotion that I inform I have recently become father to a baby boy. As agreed with the baby’s mother, who prefers to have her identity kept confidential, my son will be under my exclusive guardianship,” the sports star explained in a statement back in 2010, just after his team was kicked out of the World Cup.
“People speculate I was with this girl or another, or there was a surrogate mother,” he told chat show host Jonathan Ross.
“I have never told anyone and never will,” he said.
“When Cristiano [Junior] is going to grow up, I am always going to say the truth to him because he deserves it, because he is my son, but I am not going to say because people want me to say.”
Cristiano Jr. on his 12th birthday- flying in style.
(Image: Instagram)Cristianinho has been an omnipresent fixture by his dad’s side, often collecting awards alongside his famous dad and starring in his CR7 clothing line ads.
He’s even promising to have the same skills, wowing fans on the pitch at a World Cup warm up game — look how proud his dad is!
Watch the cute clip in the player below – story continues after video
Did Ronaldo have his twins via surrogate?
The twins on their birthday in 2022.
(Image: Instagram)In June 2017, he had twins via a surrogate — Eva and Mateo Ronaldo.
Just like their older brother, the four-year-old twins were born in San Diego.
The announcement shocked many, given that surrogacy comes with an exorbitant price tag (commercial surrogacy is actually illegal in Australia, but common around the world, particularly the US) and Ronaldo, still a young man then, had a girlfriend at the time.
Manhattan fertility expert Dr. Joel Batzofin told The Post it’s rare for single men, especially straight males, to choose surrogacy.
“Most people do surrogacy as a measure of last resort,” Dr Batzofin told the publication.
“I’m not going to tell you it’s hugely common but I [do] see it now more than I did five years ago.”
WATCH BELOW: Ronaldo’s hottest moments. Story continues after video.
The process can cost up to $100,000, but given Ronaldo’s reported pay packet of $93 million, that’s hardly a splash in the pool.
“Cristiano Ronaldo will not share any reason as to why he chose a surrogate mother, he is simply grateful that he now has twins,” a rep for the soccer star said in 2018.
Then just a month later, Ronaldo announced his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez was pregnant with his fourth child.
Who is Georgina Rodriguez?
The now 28-year-old Argentinian model met Ronaldo in the summer of 2016 while she was working at a Gucci store in Madrid.
She gave birth to Ronaldo’s fourth – and her first – child in July 2017, naming her Alana Martin.
Oh, and she looked this stunning the next day:
Alana’s all grown up now!
(Image: Instagram)Ronaldo was absolutely stoked with the fourth addition to his family.
“Being a father is a unique and personal journey, something that has changed me completely,” the Portuguese-born star said at the time.
“It’s taught me things about love that I never knew existed. It has softened me and given me a different perspective on what is really important in my life.
“Being a father and seeing my family grow is without doubt the greatest privilege I’ve had. Spending time with them, being by their side, smiling and laughing with them. They’ve brought a lot of happiness and joy to my life.”
While supporting Ronaldo at the World Cup in 2018, Rodriguez was spotted wearing an impressive diamond Cartier ring, estimated to cost an eye watering A$1,102,274.
Cheering on her man at the World Cup – and check out that rock!
(Credit: Getty)Given the ring, Ronaldo might be building his clan the old-fashioned way – and he’s revealed certainly does want more children.
“He [Cristianinho] wants more brothers and sisters,” Ronaldo told the Portuguese paper Correio da Manha.
“He wants seven, the magic number” – Ronaldo’s jersey number – “and I think that’s good.”
The blended Ronaldo family
But the despite the unusual family situation, it seems everyone gets along swimmingly, with Georgina frequently sharing cute pictures of the clan.
“Intimacy Honesty Commitment You Me Us ❤️🏠 @cristiano @georginagio,” she sweetly captioned a video of the family all together in August 2021.
Though the family is currently working through the heartache of losing a newborn child, they have always been able to lean on each other for support.
You can follow Georgina on Instagram here for more snaps of the lovable Ronaldo clan.
