Cristiano Ronaldo’s eldest son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., made a memorable debut for Portugal’s under-15 team on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in the family’s rich footballing legacy. The 14-year-old forward featured in Portugal’s 4-1 win over Japan, with Braga’s Rafael Cabral stealing the show with a hat-trick.

Ronaldo Jr. came on in the 54th minute with Portugal already 3-0 up, adding his presence to a dominant performance. His debut was a proud moment for his father, who took to social media to say, “Congratulations on your Portugal debut, son. Very proud of you.”

Currently playing as a forward in Al Nassr’s academy, Ronaldo Jr. is steadily carving out his own path in the game. He has already made headlines with his prolific goal-scoring – including a reported 58-goal season with Juventus’ youth team – and continues to draw comparisons to his father, who has starred for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and now Al Nassr.

His football journey has also seen him play alongside the children of other legends, including Wayne Rooney’s son, Kai, during his stint at Manchester United’s academy. Clips of him imitating his father’s iconic ‘Siu’ celebration have gone viral, adding to his growing popularity.

Adding to the occasion in Croatia was the presence of Ronaldo Jr.’s grandmother, Maria Dolores Aveiro, a familiar figure in the stands throughout Ronaldo’s own career. She attended the match in Sveti Martin na Muri and shared her excitement on Instagram, wishing Portugal’s U15s the best of luck.

Ronaldo Jr. will now look to build on his debut in the ongoing Vlatko Markovic international tournament, with Portugal set to face Greece on Wednesday, followed by England on Friday. The final match of the tournament is scheduled for Sunday.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo Sr., still going strong at 40, missed Al Nassr’s 9-0 rout of Al Akhdoud on Monday but is expected to return for their Saudi Pro League clash against Al-Taawoun