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By Miriam Raftery
Photos: Cristiano Ronaldo with twin son and daughter, via Instagram; Ronaldo via Real Madrid
July 9, 2017 (La Mesa) – He’s been hailed as the greatest soccer star of all time by the Los Angeles Times and multiple international media outlets. Now soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the proud father of twins, born recently at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, according to British press reports. (The hospital has declined comment).
Ronaldo announced the birth of his twin son and daughter, Mateo and Eva Maria Dos Santo, on Instagram last month. He also has a 7-ear-old son, Cristiano Junior.
The Daily Mail newspaper in England reports that Ronaldo, who is single, conceived the twins via a surrogate, citing court records in San Diego. The British paper also reports that Ronaldo’s current girlfriend is sporting a “baby bump,” sparking speculation that his family may soon grow larger.
Birth through surrogacy is illegal in Portugal, where Ronaldo resides, which could explain why his twins were born in California, where his 7-year-old son was also born. his children, born in the U.S., could be eligible to someday play on a U.S.soccer team. (Maybe even in San Diego, if the city ever gets a soccer stadium built!)
The sports star is so popular in his homeland that an airport has been named after him. Born into poverty, Ronaldo’s full name at birth was Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveira. His second name was chosen in honor of U.S. President Ronald Reagan. In addition to being a star of soccer, or football (futbol) as it is known in Europe, Ronaldo is also noted for his philanthropy including helping survivors of the Indian Ocean tsunami. He has been named Global Artist Ambassador by Save the Children. He also launched a selfie app for charity, allowing fans to choose through dozens of filters to “pose” in selfies with Ronaldo.
A forward for Portugal’s national team and Spanish club Real Madrid, Ronaldo is often considered the best player in the world and regarded by many sports analysts as the greatest of all time. He has won four FIFA Ballon d’Or awards, the most for any European player, and is the first in history to win four European Golden Shoes. He has won 22 trophies in his career, including five league titles, four UEFA Champion UEFA Champions League titles and one UEFA European Championship. He also holds the record for the most goals scored in the top five European leagues—369, among other career achievements.
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