Cristiano Ronaldo breaks down in tears speaking about estranged father
World-famous football star Cristiano Ronaldo broke down in tears after being shown a video of his late father he had never seen before, in an ITV interview.
The footballer became upset after Piers Morgan played him a clip of his father, José Dinis Aveiro, speaking proudly about his son in an interview when Greece played Portugal in the 2004 Euro final.
Ronaldo barely knew his father, a Portuguese soldier who was an alcoholic.
Mr Aveiro died aged 52 in 2005 - when Ronaldo was only 20 - and the forward expressed regret that his father never got to see him rise to become one of the most celebrated footballers in the world.
“To be number one and [my father] didn’t see nothing, they don’t see me receiving awards awards,” the 34-year-old said as he tried to hold back tears.
“My whole family see.
"My mum, my brothers, even my old son… but my father, he didn’t see nothing.”
The in-depth conversation with the Good Morning Britain presenter was also the first time in a UK interview that he opened up about the rape allegation against him.
Ronaldo was accused of assaulting a woman in a Las Vegas hotel in 2007, however the charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.
He described it as an attack on his honour and one of the worst years of his life.
“They play with your dignity,” he said.
“When they play with your honesty, it’s bad, it’s hard.
“I remember one day I was at home with my girlfriend, watching television to see the news and they [were] speaking about ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’, this and that.
“And you hear your kids coming down the stairs and [I] changed the channel because I was embarrassed.
“I just changed the channel so they don’t see [the media] speak bad about their father… makes me feel so bad.”
The former Manchester United player has four children – one with his current girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez, a Spanish model.
He described Ms Rodriguez as the greatest love of his life.
“Geo is part of me.
"She’s helped me so much.
"I’m in love with her, I’m so passion for her.
“She’s my friend, we have conversations, I open my heart for her, she opens her heart for me.”
Cristiano Ronaldo meets Piers Morgan will be on ITV at 9pm on Tuesday, September 17