Cristiano Ronaldo, the renowned Portuguese forward, delighted the football world by extending a heartfelt Christmas surprise to the son of his former Real Madrid teammate Marcelo. Liam Alves, an 8-year-old football enthusiast, received a priceless gift from Ronaldo—a signed shirt, marking a touching gesture from the Portuguese legend.
Liam expressed his gratitude on Instagram, sharing a photo of the cherished shirt and captioning it with warm words: “Thank you so much Cris. I love you. You are my idol @cristiano.”
The camaraderie between Ronaldo and Marcelo blossomed during their illustrious nine-year stint as teammates at Real Madrid, spanning from 2009 to 2018. The dynamic duo formed one of football’s greatest partnerships, dominating the left flank for Los Blancos. Ronaldo, making a record-breaking move to Real Madrid in 2009, quickly forged a deep friendship with the Brazilian left-back Marcelo.
Their collaboration resulted in 332 appearances together, yielding a collective total of 33 goals—25 from Cristiano Ronaldo and 8 from Marcelo. Despite Ronaldo’s departure to Juventus in 2018, the bond between the two players has endured, exemplifying a lasting friendship grounded in mutual respect.
Marcelo, having experienced a legendary tenure at Real Madrid, departed in 2022 after securing both the UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles, despite reduced playing time during the campaign. Following a brief spell at Manchester United, Marcelo, at the age of 38, ventured to the Saudi Pro League before returning to Brazil to play for Fluminense FC.
The decision to return to Brazil was significant for Marcelo, who shared that he and Ronaldo had previously discussed potential moves to the Middle East. Despite tempting offers, including from Al Nassr, Marcelo felt a profound connection to his roots in Brazil, stating, “Something told me that I had to go back.”
The heartwarming Christmas gesture from Ronaldo to Marcelo’s son serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring bonds forged in the world of football, transcending teammates to become lifelong friends.
