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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Matt Maltby

Cristiano Ronaldo stops Portugal team bus for photo with sick child

Cristiano Ronaldo showed his caring side on Saturday by ordering the team bus to stop so he could take a picture with a leukaemia-stricken youngster.

The Portugal superstar is preparing for the Nations League final against European rivals Holland on Sunday night.

Ahead of that mouthwatering clash, the Portuguese players took part in a low-key training session at the Estadio do Bessa in Porto.

After the session, Ronaldo and his team-mates went to head back to their hotel when the forward spotted a young fan holding a banner.

Eleven-year-old Eduardo Moreira, who suffers from leukaemia, was holding a poster that read: "Cristiano, give me a hug."

According to Portuguese outlet Flash, the Juventus star ordered the bus to stop immediately, and with the help of  security guards allowed the fan to come aboard the bus.

Ronaldo also happily posed for pictures with the youngster, who has been battling illness for almost 10 years.

Meanwhile, Daley Blind warned Holland they cannot afford to focus solely on the threat posed by Ronaldo when they take on Portugal in the inaugural Nations League final.

The Estadio do Dragao in Porto will host the European champions' bid to secure silverware on home soil against Ronald Koeman's rejuvenated Dutch side.

Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Portugal roared past Switzerland in Wednesday's semi-final, but former Manchester United man Blind will not get caught in the trap of focusing on one man.

Ronaldo takes a tumble during the training session on Saturday (Action Images via Reuters)

After all, the 29-year-old has already got the better of one of the world's greatest ever players this season as surprise package Ajax knocked perennial Serie A champions Juventus out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals.

"With Ajax we planned to stop Juventus, not just Cristiano Ronaldo," Blind said.

"And it's the same now - we have to stop Portugal, not Ronaldo.

"Of course, he is a player who can make the difference, but we have to be prepared for all the Portuguese players.”

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