Cristiano Ronaldo has added his own thanks to those of his family, praising Liverpool supporters for their act of compassion in the midweek fixture against Manchester United.
The morning after the match, several of his close relatives thanked the Reds’ fans for their heartfelt gesture at Anfield after the United forward suffered the heartbreaking death of his baby boy.
Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez revealed in a statement on Monday that their son had passed away during birth, but that his twin sister was safe and healthy.
It was confirmed on Tuesday morning that the Portuguese striker would miss the Premier League game that evening against Liverpool following the tragic news.
Upon hearing about the horrific circumstances of Ronaldo’s absence, Liverpool fans decided to show solidarity with a minute’s applause during the seventh minute of the match.
And some supporters also chanted ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ in a touching moment between the two sets of rival fans.
Ronaldo has now responded in kind, posting to Instagram a message of thanks. “One world… One sport… One global family… Thanks, Anfield. Me and my family will never forget this moment of respect and compassion,” he wrote, accompanying footage of the crowd.
Reacting to the gesture, Ronaldo’s sister Elma also shared a video of Anfield and added: “Thank you for this Liverpool. We will never forget what you did today.”
His other sister Katie also posted the clip and said: “Way beyond football”.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s mum Dolores Aveiro has turned to her faith during this difficult time, writing on Instagram: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
“In all your way acknowledge Him And he shall direct your Paths.”
On the pitch, Ronaldo’s Manchester United teammates were humbled by Liverpool as they suffered a 4-0 defeat to leave their Champions League qualification hopes hanging by a thread with just five games remaining.
